XVIII

shetriedtogetherhandsaway. ButTussiewouldnotletthemgo.Heheldtheminaclutchthatseemedlikehotironinbothhis,anddragginghimselfnearertothemcoveredthemwithwildkisses. LadyShuttleworthwasappalled."Tussie,"shesaidinaveryevenvoice,"youmustletMissNeumann-Schultzgonow.Youmustbequietagainnow.Lethergo,dear.Perhapsshe'll—comeagain." "Ohmother,leavemealone,"criedTussie,lyingrightacrosshispillows,hisfaceonPriscilla'shands."Whatdoyouknowofthesethings?Thisismydarling—thisismywife—dreamofmyspirit—starofmysoul—" "Neverinthisworld!"criedLadyShuttleworth,comingroundtotheheadofthebedasquicklyashershakinglimbswouldtakeher. "Yes,yes,comehereifyoulike,mother—comeclose—listenwhileItellherhowIloveher.Idon'tcarewhohears.WhyshouldI?IfIweren'tillI'dcare.I'dbetongue-tied—I'dhavegoneonbeingtongue-tiedforever.OhIblessbeingill,Iblessbeingill—Icansayanything,anything—" "Tussie,don'tsayit,"entreatedhismother."Thelessyousaynowthemoregratefulyou'llbelateron.Lethergo." "Listentoher!"criedTussie,interruptinghiskissingofherhandstolookupatPriscillaandsmilewithasortofpityingwonder,"Letyougo?Doesoneletone'slifego?One'shopeofsalvationgo?One'slittlepreciousminuteofperfecthappinessgo?WhenI'mwellagainIshallbejustasdullandstupidasever,justsuchashyfool,notabletospeak—" "Butit'sagraciousstate"—stammeredpoorPriscilla. "Lovingyou?Lovingyou?" "No,no—notbeingabletospeak.It'salwaysbest—" "Itisn't.It'sbesttobetruetoone'sself,toshowhonestlywhatonefeels,asIamnow—asIamnow—"Andhefelltokissingherhandsagain. "Tussie,thisisn'tbeinghonest,"saidLadyShuttleworthsternly,"it'sbeingfeverish." "Listentoher!Waseveramaninterruptedlikethisintheactofaskingagirltomarryhim?" "Tussie!"criedLadyShuttleworth. "Ethel,willyoumarryme?BecauseIloveyouso?It'sanabsurdreason—themostmagnificentlyabsurdreason,butIknowthere'snootherwhyyoushould—" Priscillawasshakenandstrickenasshehadneveryetbeenshakenwithpity,strickenwithremorse.Shelookeddownathimindismaywhilehekissedherhandswithdesperate,overwhelminglove.Whatwasshetodo?LadyShuttleworthtriedtodrawheraway.Whatwasshetodo?IfTussiewasoverwhelmedwithlove,shewasoverwhelmedwithpity. "Ethel—Ethel—"gaspedTussie,kissingherhands,lookingupather,kissingthemagain. Pityovercameher,engulfedher.Shebentherheaddowntohisandlaidhercheekaninstantontheabsurdflannelnightingale,tenderly,apologetically. "Ethel—Ethel,"chokedTussie,"willyoumarryme?" "DearTussie,"shewhisperedinashakywhisper,"Ipromisetoansweryouwhenyouarewell.Notyet.Notnow.Getquitewell,andthenifyoustillwantananswerIpromisetogiveyouone.Nowletmego." "Ethel,"imploredTussie,lookingatherwithawildentreatyinhiseyes,"willyoukissme?Justonce—tohelpmetolive—" Andinherdesiretocomforthimshestoopeddownagainanddidkisshim,soberly,almostgingerly,ontheforehead. Heletherhandsslideawayfrombetweenhisandlaybackonhispillowsinastateforthemomentofabsolutebeatitude.Heshuthiseyes,anddidnotmovewhileshecreptsoftlyoutoftheroom. "Whathaveyoudone?"askedLadyShuttleworthtrembling,whentheyweresafelyinthepassageandthedoorshutbehindthem. "Ican'tthink—Ican'tthink,"groanedPriscilla,wringingherhands.And,leaningagainstthebalusters,thenandthereinthatmostpublicsituationshebeganverybitterlytocry.