Man and Maid

"We have grown so awfully selfish, haven't we, Nicholas, but we aren't

such hypocrites as we were before the war. People still have lovers, but

they don't turn up their eyes so much at other people having them, as

they used. There is more tolerance--the only thing you cannot do is to

act publicly so that your men friends cannot defend you--'You must not

throw your bonnet over the windmills'--otherwise you can do as you

please--."

"You had not thought of taking either Jim or Rochester for a lover to

make certain which you prefer?"

Nina looked unspeakably shocked--.

"What a dreadful idea Nicholas!--I am thinking of both seriously, not

only to pass the time of day remember."

"That is all lovers are for, then Nina?--I used to think--."

"Never mind what you thought, there is no reason to insult me."

"Nothing was farther from my desire."

Nina's face cleared, as it had darkened ominously.

"What will you do if, having married Rochester, you find yourself

bored--Will you send for Jim again?"

"Certainly not, that would be disaster. I shan't plunge until I feel

pretty certain I am going to find the water just deep enough, and not

too deep--and if I do make a mistake, well I shall have to stick to it."

"By Jove what a philosopher," and I laughed--She poured out a second cup

of tea, and then she looked steadily at me, as though studying a new

phase of me.

"You are not a bit worse off than Tom Green, Nicholas, and he has not

got your money, and Tom is as jolly as anything, and everybody loves

him, though he is a hopeless cripple, and can't even look decent, as you

will be able to in a year or two. There is no use in having this

sentiment about war heroes that would make one put up with their

tempers, and their cynicism! Everybody is in the same boat, women and

men, we chance being maimed by bombs, and we are losing our looks with

rough work--for goodness sake stop being so soured--."

I laughed outright--it was all so true.

* * * * *

Friday--Maurice brings people to play bridge every afternoon now. Nina

has gone back to England--having decided to take Jim!

It came about in this way--She flew in to tell me the last evening

before she left for Havre. She was breathless running up the stairs, as

something had gone wrong with the lift.

"Jim and I are engaged!"

"A thousand congratulations."