III
I
At last The Princess in the Tower was finished. Vernon suffered from a tremendous wave of reaction. The whole thing was rottenтБатАФhopeless. Best to chuck it into the fire.
NellтАЩs sweetness and encouragement were like manna to him at this time. She had that wonderful instinct for always saying the words he longed to hear. But for her, as he constantly told her, he would have given way to despair long ago.
He had seen less of Jane during the winter. She had been on tour with the English Opera Company part of the time. When she sang in Electra in Birmingham, he went down for it. He was tremendously impressedтБатАФloved both the music and JaneтАЩs impersonation of Electra. That ruthless will, that determined: тАЬSay naught but dance on!тАЭ She gave the impression of being more spirit than flesh. He was conscious that her voice was really too weak for the part, but somehow it didnтАЩt seem to matter. She was ElectraтБатАФthat fanatical fiery spirit of relentless doom.
He stayed a few days with his motherтБатАФdays which he found trying and difficult. He went to see his Uncle Sydney and was received coldly. Enid was engaged to be married to a solicitor, and Uncle Sydney was not too pleased about it.
Nell and her mother were away for Easter. On their return Vernon rang up and said he must see her immediately. He arrived with a white face and burning eyes.
тАЬNell, do you know what IтАЩve heard? Everyone has been saying that you are going to marry George Chetwynd. George Chetwynd!тАЭ
тАЬWho said so?тАЭ
тАЬLots of people. They say you go round with him everywhere.тАЭ
Nell looked frightened and unhappy.
тАЬI wish you wouldnтАЩt believe things. And Vernon, donтАЩt look soтБатАФso accusing. ItтАЩs perfectly true that he has asked me to marry himтБатАФtwice, as a matter of fact.тАЭ
тАЬThat old man?тАЭ
тАЬOh! Vernon, donтАЩt be ridiculous. HeтАЩs only about forty-one or -two.тАЭ
тАЬNearly double your age. Why, I thought he wanted to marry your mother, perhaps.тАЭ
Nell laughed in spite of herself.
тАЬOh! dear, I wish he would. MotherтАЩs really awfully handsome still.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs what I thought that night at Ranelagh. I never guessedтБатАФI never dreamedтБатАФthat it was you! Or hadnтАЩt it begun then?тАЭ
тАЬOh! yes, it had begunтБатАФas you call it. That was why Mother was so angry that nightтБатАФat my going off alone with you.тАЭ
тАЬAnd I never guessed! Nell, you might have told me!тАЭ
тАЬTold you what? There wasnтАЩt anything to tellтБатАФthen!тАЭ
тАЬNo, I suppose not. IтАЩm being an idiot. But I do know heтАЩs awfully rich. I get frightened sometimes. Oh, darling Nell, it was beastly of me to doubt youтБатАФeven for a minute. As though youтАЩd ever care how rich anyone were.тАЭ
Nell said irritably: тАЬRich, rich, rich! You harp on that. HeтАЩs awfully kind and awfully nice, too.тАЭ
тАЬOh, I dare say.тАЭ
тАЬHe is, Vernon. Really he is.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs nice of you to stick up for him, darling, but he must be an insensitive sort of brute to hang round after youтАЩve refused him twice.тАЭ
Nell did not answer. She looked at him in a way he did not understandтБатАФsomething piteous and appealing and yet defiant in that strange limpid gaze. It was as though she looked at him from a world so far removed from his that they might be on different spheres.
He said: тАЬI feel ashamed of myself, Nell. But youтАЩre so lovelyтБатАФeveryone must want youтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
She broke down suddenlyтБатАФbegan to cry. He was startled. She cried on, sobbed on his shoulder.
тАЬI donтАЩt know what to doтБатАФI donтАЩt know what to do. IтАЩm so unhappy. If I could only talk to you.тАЭ
тАЬBut you can talk to me, darling. IтАЩm here listening.тАЭ
тАЬNo, no, noтБатАКтБатАж I can never talk to you. You donтАЩt understand. ItтАЩs all no use.тАЭ
She cried on. He kissed her, soothed her, poured out all his love.тБатАКтБатАж
When he had gone, her mother came into the room, an open letter in her hand.
She did not appear to notice NellтАЩs tear-stained face.
тАЬGeorge Chetwynd sails for America on the thirtieth of May,тАЭ she remarked, as she went across to her desk.
тАЬI donтАЩt care when he sails,тАЭ said Nell rebelliously.
Mrs.┬аVereker did not answer.
That night Nell knelt longer than usual by her narrow white bed.
тАЬOh! God, please let me marry Vernon. I want to so much. I do love him so. Please let things come right and let us be married. Make something happen.тБатАКтБатАж Please God.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
II
At the end of April Abbots Puissants was let. Vernon came to Nell in some excitement.
тАЬNell, will you marry me now? We could just manage. ItтАЩs a bad letтБатАФan awfully bad oneтБатАФbut I simply had to take it. You see, thereтАЩs been the mortgage interest to pay and all the expenses of the upkeep while itтАЩs been unlet. IтАЩve had to borrow for all that and now of course itтАЩs got to be paid back. WeтАЩll be pretty short for a year or two, but then it wonтАЩt be so bad.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
He talked on, explaining the financial details.
тАЬIтАЩve been into it all, Nell. I have really. Sensibly, I mean. We could afford a tiny flat and one maid and have a little left over to play with. Oh, Nell, you wouldnтАЩt mind being poor with me, would you? You said once I didnтАЩt know what it was to be poor, but you canтАЩt say that now. IтАЩve lived on frightfully little since I came to London, and I havenтАЩt minded a bit.тАЭ
No, Nell knew he hadnтАЩt. The fact was in some way a vague reproach to her. And yet, though she couldnтАЩt quite express it to herself, she felt that the two cases were not on a par. It made much more difference to womenтБатАФto be gay and pretty and admired and have a good timeтБатАФnone of those things affected men. They hadnтАЩt that everlasting problem of clothesтБатАФnobody minded if they were shabby.
But how explain these things to Vernon? One couldnтАЩt. He wasnтАЩt like George Chetwynd. George understood things like that.
тАЬNell.тАЭ
She sat there, irresolute, his arm round her. She had got to decide. Visions floated before her eyes. AmelieтБатАКтБатАж the hot little house, the wailing childrenтБатАКтБатАж George Chetwynd and his carтБатАКтБатАж a stuffy little flat, a dirty incompetent maidтБатАКтБатАж dancesтБатАКтБатАж clothesтБатАКтБатАж the money they owed dressmakersтБатАКтБатАж the rent of the London houseтБатАФunpaidтБатАКтБатАж herself at Ascot, smiling, chattering in a lovely model gownтБатАКтБатАж then, with a sudden revulsion she was back at Ranelagh on the bridge over the water with Vernon.тБатАКтБатАж
In almost the same voice as she had used that evening she said: тАЬI donтАЩt know. Oh! Vernon, I donтАЩt know.тАЭ
тАЬOh! Nell, darling, doтБатАКтБатАж do!тАЭ
She disengaged herself from him, got up.
тАЬPlease, VernonтБатАФI must thinkтБатАКтБатАж yes, think. IтБатАФI canтАЩt when IтАЩm with you.тАЭ
She wrote to him later that night:
Dearest Vernon:
Let us wait a little longerтБатАФsay six months. I donтАЩt feel I want to be married now. Besides, something might have happened about your opera then. You think IтАЩm afraid of being poor, but itтАЩs not quite that. IтАЩve seen peopleтБатАФpeople who loved each other, and they didnтАЩt any more because of all the bothers and worries. I feel that if we wait and are patient everything will come right. Oh! Vernon, I know it willтБатАФand then everything will be so lovely. If only we wait and have patienceтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Vernon was angry when he got this letter. He did not show the letter to Jane, but he broke out into sufficiently unguarded speech to let her see how the land lay. She said at once in her disconcerting fashion:
тАЬYou do think youтАЩre sufficient prize for any girl, donтАЩt you, Vernon?тАЭ
тАЬWhat do you mean?тАЭ
тАЬWell, do you think it will be awfully jolly for a girl who has danced and been to parties and had lots of fun and people admiring her to be stuck down in a poky hole with no more fun?тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩd have each other.тАЭ
тАЬYou canтАЩt make love to her for twenty-four hours on end. Whilst youтАЩre working what is she to do?тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt you think a woman can be poor and happy?тАЭ
тАЬCertainly, given the necessary qualifications.тАЭ
тАЬWhich areтБатАФwhat? Love and trust?тАЭ
тАЬNo, you idiotic child. A sense of humour, a tough hide and the valuable quality of being sufficient unto oneself. You will insist on love in a cottage being a sentimental problem dependent on the amount of love concerned. ItтАЩs far more a problem of mental outlook. YouтАЩd be all right stuck down anywhereтБатАФBuckingham Palace or the SaharaтБатАФbecause youтАЩve got your mental preoccupationтБатАФmusic. But NellтАЩs dependent on extraneous circumstances. Marrying you will cut her off from all her friends.тАЭ
тАЬWhy should it?тАЭ
тАЬBecause itтАЩs the hardest thing in the world for people with different incomes to continue friends. TheyтАЩre not all doing the same thing naturally.тАЭ
тАЬYou always put me in the wrong,тАЭ said Vernon savagely. тАЬOr at any rate you try to.тАЭ
тАЬWell, it annoys me to see you put yourself on a pedestal and stand admiring yourself for nothing at all,тАЭ said Jane calmly. тАЬYou expect Nell to sacrifice her friends and life to you, but you wouldnтАЩt make your sacrifice for her.тАЭ
тАЬWhat sacrifice? IтАЩd do anything.тАЭ
тАЬExcept sell Abbots Puissants!тАЭ
тАЬYou donтАЩt understand.тАЭ
Jane looked at him gently.
тАЬPerhaps I do. Oh! yes, my dear, I do very well. But donтАЩt be noble. It always annoys me to see people being noble! LetтАЩs talk about The Princess in the Tower. I want you to show it to Radmaager.тАЭ
тАЬOh, itтАЩs so rotten. I couldnтАЩt. You know, I didnтАЩt realize myself, Jane, how rotten it was until I had finished it.тАЭ
тАЬNo,тАЭ said Jane. тАЬNobody ever does. FortunatelyтБатАФor nothing ever would be finished. Show it to Radmaager. What he says will be interesting, at all events.тАЭ
Vernon yielded rather grudgingly.
тАЬHeтАЩll think it such awful cheek.тАЭ
тАЬNo, he wonтАЩt. HeтАЩs a very high opinion of what Sebastian says, and Sebastian has always believed in you. Radmaager says that for so young a man, SebastianтАЩs judgment is amazing.тАЭ
тАЬGood old Sebastian! HeтАЩs wonderful,тАЭ said Vernon warmly. тАЬNearly everything heтАЩs done has been a success. Shekels are rolling in. God! how I envy him sometimes.тАЭ
тАЬYou neednтАЩt. HeтАЩs not such a very happy person, really.тАЭ
тАЬYou mean Joe? Oh, that will all come right.тАЭ
тАЬI wonder. Vernon, do you see much of Joe?тАЭ
тАЬA fair amount. Not as much as I used to. I canтАЩt stand that queer artistic set sheтАЩs drifted intoтБатАФtheir hairтАЩs all wrong and they look unwashed and they talk what seems to me the most arrant drivel. TheyтАЩre not a bit like your crowdтБатАФthe people who really do things.тАЭ
тАЬWeтАЩre what Sebastian would call the successful commercial propositions. All the same, IтАЩm worried about Joe. IтАЩm afraid sheтАЩs going to do something foolish.тАЭ
тАЬThat bounder La Marre, you mean?тАЭ
тАЬYes, I mean that bounder, La Marre. HeтАЩs clever with women, you know, Vernon. Some men are.тАЭ
тАЬYou think sheтАЩd go off with him or something? Of course Joe is a damned fool in some ways.тАЭ He looked curiously at Jane. тАЬBut I should have thought youтБатАФтАЭ
He stopped, suddenly crimson. Jane looked very faintly amused.
тАЬYou really neednтАЩt be embarrassed by my morals.тАЭ
тАЬI wasnтАЩt. I meanтБатАФIтАЩve always wonderedтБатАФoh! IтАЩve wondered such an awful lot.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
His voice died away. There was silence. Jane sat very upright. She did not look at Vernon. She looked straight ahead of her. Presently, in a quiet even voice, she began to speak. She spoke quite unemotionally and evenly, as though recounting something that had happened to someone else. It was a cold concise recital of horror, and to Vernon the most dreadful thing about it was her own detached calm. She spoke as a scientist might speak, impersonally.
He buried his face in his hands.
Jane brought her recital to an end. Her quiet voice ceased.
Vernon said in a low shuddering voice:
тАЬAnd you lived through that? IтБатАФI didnтАЩt know that such things were.тАЭ
Jane said calmly: тАЬHe was a Russian and a degenerate. ItтАЩs hard for an Anglo-Saxon to understand that peculiar refined lust of cruelty. You understand brutality. You donтАЩt understand anything else.тАЭ
Vernon said, feeling childish and awkward as he put the question: тАЬYouтБатАФyou loved him very much?тАЭ
She shook her head slowly, began to speak, and then stopped.
тАЬWhy dissect the past?тАЭ she said, after a minute or two. тАЬHe did some fine work. ThereтАЩs a thing of his in the South Kensington. ItтАЩs macabre, but itтАЩs good.тАЭ
Then she began once more to talk of The Princess in the Tower.
Vernon went to the South Kensington two days later. He found the solitary representation of Boris AndrovтАЩs work easily enough. A drowned womanтБатАФthe face was horrible, puffed, bloated, decomposed, but the body was beautifulтБатАКтБатАж a lovely body. Vernon knew instinctively that it was JaneтАЩs body.
He stood looking down on the bronze nude figure, with arms spread wide and long lank hair reaching out mournfullyтБатАКтБатАж
Such a beautiful bodyтБатАКтБатАж JaneтАЩs body. Androv had modelled that nude body from her.
For the first time for years a queer remembrance of the Beast came over him. He felt afraid.
He turned quickly away from the beautiful bronze figure and left the building hurriedly, almost running.
III
It was the first night of RadmaagerтАЩs new opera, Peer Gynt. Vernon was going to it and had been asked by Radmaager to attend a supper party afterwards. He was dining first with Nell at her motherтАЩs house. She was not coming to the opera.
Much to NellтАЩs surprise, Vernon did not turn up to dinner. They waited some time, and then began without him. He arrived just as dessert was being put on the table.
тАЬIтАЩm most awfully sorry, Mrs.┬аVereker. I canтАЩt tell you how sorry I am. Something veryтБатАФvery unexpected occurred. IтАЩll tell you later.тАЭ
His face was so white and he was so obviously upset that Mrs.┬аVereker forgot her annoyance. She was always a tactful woman of the world and she treated the present situation with her usual discretion.
тАЬWell,тАЭ she said, rising, тАЬnow you are here, Vernon, you can talk to Nell. If youтАЩre going to the opera you wonтАЩt have much time.тАЭ
She left the room. Nell looked inquiringly at Vernon. He answered her look.
тАЬJoeтАЩs gone off with La Marre.тАЭ
тАЬOh, Vernon, she hasnтАЩt!тАЭ
тАЬShe has.тАЭ
тАЬDo you mean that she has eloped? That sheтАЩs married him? That theyтАЩve run away to get married?тАЭ
Vernon said grimly: тАЬHe canтАЩt marry her. HeтАЩs got a wife already.тАЭ
тАЬOh, Vernon, how awful! How could she?тАЭ
тАЬJoe was always wrongheaded. SheтАЩll regret thisтБатАФI know she will. I donтАЩt believe she really cares for him.тАЭ
тАЬWhat about Sebastian? WonтАЩt he feel this terribly?тАЭ
тАЬYes, poor devil. IтАЩve been with him now. HeтАЩs absolutely broken up over it. IтАЩd no idea how much he cared for Joe.тАЭ
тАЬI know he did.тАЭ
тАЬYou see, there were the three of usтБатАФalways. Joe and I and Sebastian. We belonged together.тАЭ
A faint pang of jealousy shot through Nell. Vernon repeated:
тАЬThe three of us. ItтАЩsтБатАФOh! I donтАЩt know. I feel as though IтАЩd been to blame in some way. IтАЩve let myself get out of touch with Joe. Dear old Joe, she was so staunch alwaysтБатАФbetter than any sister could be. It hurts me to think of the things she used to say when she was a kidтБатАФhow sheтАЩd never have anything to do with men. And now sheтАЩs come a mucker like this.тАЭ
Nell said in a shocked voice:
тАЬA married man. ThatтАЩs what makes it so awful. Had he any children?тАЭ
тАЬHow should I know anything about his beastly children?тАЭ
тАЬVernonтБатАФdonтАЩt be so cross.тАЭ
тАЬSorry, Nell. IтАЩm upset, thatтАЩs all.тАЭ
тАЬHow could she do such a thing,тАЭ said Nell. She had always rather resented JoeтАЩs unspoken contempt of which she had been subconsciously aware. She would not have been human had she not felt a faint sense of superiority. тАЬTo run away with anyone married! ItтАЩs dreadful!тАЭ
тАЬWell, she had courage, anyway,тАЭ said Vernon.
He felt a sudden passionate desire to defend JoeтБатАФJoe who belonged to Abbots Puissants and the old days.
тАЬCourage?тАЭ said Nell.
тАЬYes, courage!тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬAt any rate she wasnтАЩt prudent. She didnтАЩt count the cost. SheтАЩs chucked away everything in the world for love. ThatтАЩs more than some people will do.тАЭ
тАЬVernon!тАЭ
She got up, breathing hard.
тАЬWell, itтАЩs true.тАЭ All his smouldering resentment came bursting out. тАЬYou wonтАЩt even face a little discomfort for me, Nell. YouтАЩre always saying тАШWaitтАЩ and тАШLetтАЩs be careful.тАЩ You arenтАЩt capable of chucking everything to the winds for love of anyone.тАЭ
тАЬOh! Vernon, how cruel you areтБатАКтБатАж how cruel!тАЭ
He saw the tears come into her eyes and was immediately all compunction.
тАЬOh! Nell, I didnтАЩt mean itтБатАФI didnтАЩt mean it, sweetheart.тАЭ
His arms went round her, held her to him. Her sobs lessened. He glanced at his watch.
тАЬDamn! I must go. Good night, Nell darling. You do love me, donтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬYes, of courseтБатАФof course I do.тАЭ
He kissed her once more, hurried off. She sat down again by the disordered dinner table. Sat there, lost in thought.тБатАКтБатАж
IV
He got to Covent Garden late. Peer Gynt had begun. The scene was IngridтАЩs wedding and Vernon arrived just at the moment of the first brief meeting of Peer and Solveig. He wondered if Jane were nervous. She managed to look marvellously young with her fair plaits and her innocent calm bearing. She looked nineteen. The act ended with the carrying off of Ingrid by Peer.
Vernon found himself interested less in the music than in Jane. Tonight was JaneтАЩs ordeal. She had to make good or go under. Vernon knew how anxious she was, above everything else, to justify RadmaagerтАЩs trust in her.
Presently he knew that all was well. Jane was the perfect Solveig. Her voice, clear and trueтБатАФthe crystal thread, as Radmaager had called itтБатАФsang unfalteringly and her acting was wonderful. The calm steadfast personality of Solveig dominated the opera.
Vernon found himself for the first time interested in the story of the weak, storm-torn Peer, the coward who ran from reality at every opportunity. The music of PeerтАЩs conflict with the great Boyg stirred him, reminding him of his childish terror of the Beast. It was the same formless bogey fear of childhood. Unseen, SolveigтАЩs clear voice delivered him from it. The scene in the forest where Solveig comes to Peer was infinitely beautiful, ending with Peer bidding Solveig remain while he went out to take up his burden. Her reply: тАЬIf it is so heavy it is best two should share it.тАЭ And then PeerтАЩs departure, his final evasion: тАЬBring sorrow on her? No. Go roundabout, Peer, go roundabout.тАЭ
The Whitsuntide music was the most beautiful, but in atmosphere very Radmaagian, Vernon thought. It led up to and prepared for the effect of the final scene. The weary Peer asleep with his head on SolveigтАЩs lap, and Solveig, her hair silvered, a Madonna blue cloak round her in the middle of the stage, her head silhouetted against the rising sun, singing valiantly against the buttonsтАЩ moulder.
It was a wonderful duetтБатАФChavaranov, the famous Russian bass, his voice deepening and deepening, and Jane, with her silver thread singing steadily upward and ever upward, higher and higherтБатАФtill the last note was left to herтБатАФhigh and incredibly pure.тБатАКтБатАж And the sun rose.тБатАКтБатАж
Vernon, feeling boyishly important, went behind afterwards. The opera had been a terrific success. The applause had been long and enthusiastic. He found Radmaager holding Jane by the hand and kissing her with artistic fervour and thoroughness.
тАЬYou are an angelтБатАФyou are magnificentтБатАФyes, magnificent! You are an artist. Ah!тАЭ he burst into a torrent of words in his native language, then reverted to English. тАЬI will reward youтБатАФyes, little one, I will reward you. I know very well how to do it. I will persuade the long Sebastian. Together we willтБатАФтАЭ
тАЬHush,тАЭ said Jane.
Vernon came forward awkwardly, said shyly: тАЬIt was splendid!тАЭ
He squeezed JaneтАЩs hand, and she gave him a brief affectionate smile.
тАЬWhereтАЩs Sebastian? WasnтАЩt he here just now?тАЭ
Sebastian was no longer to be seen. Vernon volunteered to go in search of him and bring him along to supper. He said vaguely that he thought he knew where he was. Jane knew nothing of the news about Joe, and he didnтАЩt see how he could tell her at the moment.
He got a taxi and drove to SebastianтАЩs house, but did not find him. Vernon wondered if perhaps Sebastian might be at his own rooms where he had left him earlier in the evening. He drove there straight away. He was feeling suddenly elated and triumphant. Even Joe did not seem to matter for the moment. He felt suddenly convinced that his own work was goodтБатАФor rather that it would be some day. And somehow or other he also felt that things were coming right with Nell. She had clung to him differently tonightтБатАФmore closelyтБатАФmore as though she could not bear to let him go.тБатАКтБатАж Yes, he was sure of it. Everything was coming right.
He ran up the stairs to his room. It was in darkness. Sebastian was not here then. He switched on the lightтБатАФlooked round. A note lay on the table, sent by hand. He picked it up. It was addressed to him in NellтАЩs handwriting. He tore it open.тБатАКтБатАж
He stood there a long time. Then, carefully and methodically he drew up a chair to the table, setting it very exactly straight, as though that were important, and sat down holding the note in his hand. He read it again for the tenth or eleventh time:
Dearest VernonтБатАФforgive meтБатАФplease forgive me. I am going to marry George Chetwynd. I donтАЩt love him like I love you, but I shall be safe with him. AgainтБатАФdo forgive meтБатАФplease.
He said aloud: тАЬSafe with him. What does she mean by that? SheтАЩd have been safe with me. Safe with him? That hurts.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
He sat there. Minutes passed.тБатАКтБатАж Hours passed.тБатАКтБатАж He sat there, motionless, almost unable to think.тБатАКтБатАж Once the thought rose dully in his brain, тАЬWas this how Sebastian felt? I didnтАЩt understand.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
When he heard a rustle in the doorway he didnтАЩt look up. His first sight of Jane was when she came round the table, dropped on her knees beside him.
тАЬVernon, my dear, what is it? I knew there was something when you didnтАЩt come to the supper. I came to see.тАЭ
Dully, mechanically, he held out the note to her. She took it and read it. She laid it down again on the table.
He said in a dull bewildered voice: тАЬShe neednтАЩt have said that about not being safe with me. She would have been safe with me.тАЭ
тАЬOh, VernonтБатАФmy dearтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Her arms went round him. He clutched at her suddenlyтБатАФa frightened clutch such as a child might give at its mother. A sob burst from his throat. He laid his face down on the gleaming white skin of her neck.
тАЬOh! JaneтБатАКтБатАж JaneтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
She held him closer. She stroked his hair. He murmured:
тАЬStay with meтБатАКтБатАж Stay with meтБатАКтБатАж DonтАЩt leave meтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
She answered: тАЬI wonтАЩt leave you. ItтАЩs all right.тАЭ
Her voice was tenderтБатАФmotherly. Something broke in him like the breaking of a dam. Ideas swirled and rushed through his head. His father kissing Winnie at Abbots PuissantsтБатАКтБатАж the statue in the South KensingtonтБатАКтБатАж JaneтАЩs bodyтБатАКтБатАж her beautiful body.
He said hoarsely: тАЬStay with meтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ
Her arms round him, her lips on his forehead, she murmured back: тАЬIтАЩll stay with you, dear.тАЭ
Like a mother to a child.
He wrenched himself suddenly free.
тАЬNot like that. Not like that. Like this.тАЭ
His lips fastened on hersтБатАФfiercely, hungrilyтБатАФhis hand clutched at the roundness of her breast. HeтАЩd always wanted herтБатАФalways. He knew it now. It was her body he wanted, that beautiful gracious body that Boris Androv had known so well.
He said again: тАЬStay with me.тАЭ
There was a long pauseтБатАФit seemed to him as though minutes, hours, years passed before she answered:
She said: тАЬIтАЩll stayтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ