Літо
XVIII
Itwasapossibilitywhichhadneveroccurredtoherduringthedreadfulhoursaftershehadreceivedhisletter;onlywhenthedecisivestepshehadtakenmadelongingturntoapprehensiondidsuchacontingencyseemconceivable.Sheaddressedtheenvelope,andonthesheetofpapershewrote:
I’mmarriedtoMr.Royall.I’llalwaysrememberyou.CHARITY.
Thelastwordswerenotintheleastwhatshehadmeanttowrite;theyhadflowedfromherpenirresistibly.Shehadnothadthestrengthtocompletehersacrifice;but,afterall,whatdiditmatter?NowthattherewasnochanceofeverseeingHarneyagain,whyshouldshenottellhimthetruth?
Whenshehadputtheletterintheboxshewentoutintothebusysunlitstreetandbegantowalktothehotel.Behindtheplateglasswindowsofthedepartmentstoresshenoticedthetemptingdisplayofdressesanddress-materialsthathadfiredherimaginationonthedaywhensheandHarneyhadlookedinatthemtogether.TheyremindedherofMr.Royall’sinjunctiontogooutandbuyallsheneeded.Shelookeddownathershabbydress,andwonderedwhatsheshouldsaywhenhesawhercomingbackempty-handed.Asshedrewnearthehotelshesawhimwaitingonthedoorstep,andherheartbegantobeatwithapprehension.
Henoddedandwavedhishandatherapproach,andtheywalkedthroughthehallandwentupstairstocollecttheirpossessions,sothatMr.Royallmightgiveupthekeyoftheroomwhentheywentdownagainfortheirmiddaydinner
