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Chapter 10
Whynotbreakoutatheronthespotandhaveitallover?—giveittoherstraightinherlovelylittlelightedface?“Yousee,yousee,youknowthatyoudoandthatyoualreadyquitesuspectIbelieveit;therefore,whynotfranklyconfessittome,sothatwemayatleastlivewithittogetherandlearnperhaps,inthestrangenessofourfate,whereweareandwhatitmeans?”Thissolicitationdropped,alas,asitcame:ifIcouldimmediatelyhavesuccumbedtoitImighthavesparedmyself—well,you’llseewhat.InsteadofsuccumbingIsprangagaintomyfeet,lookedatherbed,andtookahelplessmiddleway.“Whydidyoupullthecurtainovertheplacetomakemethinkyouwerestillthere?”
Floraluminouslyconsidered;afterwhich,withherlittledivinesmile:“BecauseIdon’tliketofrightenyou!”
“ButifIhad,byyouridea,goneout—?”
Sheabsolutelydeclinedtobepuzzled;sheturnedhereyestotheflameofthecandleasifthequestionwereasirrelevant,oratanyrateasimpersonal,asMrs.Marcetornine-times-nine.“Oh,butyouknow,”shequiteadequatelyanswered,“thatyoumightcomeback,youdear,andthatyouhave!”Andafteralittle,whenshehadgotintobed,Ihad,foralongtime,byalmostsittingonhertoholdherhand,toprovethatIrecognizedthepertinenceofmyreturn.
Youmayimaginethegeneralcomplexion,fromthatmoment,ofmynights.