"Yes," agreed Madame Ratignolle. "I think it was showing us all--you

especially--very little consideration. It wouldn't have surprised me in

any of the others; those Lebruns are all given to heroics. But I must

say I should never have expected such a thing from Robert. Are you not

coming down? Come on, dear; it doesn't look friendly."

"No," said Edna, a little sullenly. "I can't go to the trouble of

dressing again; I don't feel like it."

"You needn't dress; you look all right; fasten a belt around your waist.

Just look at me!"

"No," persisted Edna; "but you go on. Madame Lebrun might be offended if

we both stayed away."

Madame Ratignolle kissed Edna good-night, and went away, being in truth

rather desirous of joining in the general and animated conversation

which was still in progress concerning Mexico and the Mexicans.

Somewhat later Robert came up, carrying his hand-bag.

"Aren't you feeling well?" he asked.

"Oh, well enough. Are you going right away?"

He lit a match and looked at his watch. "In twenty minutes," he said.

The sudden and brief flare of the match emphasized the darkness for a

while. He sat down upon a stool which the children had left out on the

porch.

"Get a chair," said Edna.

"This will do," he replied. He put on his soft hat and nervously took it

off again, and wiping his face with his handkerchief, complained of the

heat.

"Take the fan," said Edna, offering it to him.

"Oh, no! Thank you. It does no good; you have to stop fanning some time,

and feel all the more uncomfortable afterward."

"That's one of the ridiculous things which men always say. I have never

known one to speak otherwise of fanning. How long will you be gone?"

"Forever, perhaps. I don't know. It depends upon a good many things."

"Well, in case it shouldn't be forever, how long will it be?"

"I don't know."

"This seems to me perfectly preposterous and uncalled for. I don't like

it. I don't understand your motive for silence and mystery, never saying

a word to me about it this morning." He remained silent, not offering to

defend himself. He only said, after a moment:

"Don't part from me in any ill humor. I never knew you to be out of

patience with me before."

"I don't want to part in any ill humor," she said. "But can't you

understand? I've grown used to seeing you, to having you with me all

the time, and your action seems unfriendly, even unkind. You don't even

offer an excuse for it. Why, I was planning to be together, thinking of

how pleasant it would be to see you in the city next winter."




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