小说园

第44部分（第3页）

〃Oh；　its　a　different　matter　altogether　with　a　married　man；〃

she　said；　in　a　ready…made　speech　that　showed　her　chagrin。

〃Hows　that？〃　he　asked。

But　she　would　not　enlighten　him。　Yet　she　promised；　without

promising；　to　be　at　the　meeting…place　next　Saturday　evening。

So　he　left　her。　He　did　not　know　her　name。　He　caught　a　train

and　went　home。

It　was　the　last　train；　he　was　very　late。　He　was　not　home　till

midnight。　But　he　was　quite　indifferent。　He　had　no　real　relation

with　his　home；　not　this　man　which　he　now　was。　Anna　was　sitting

up　for　him。　She　saw　the　queer；　absolved　look　on　his　face；　a　sort

of　latent；　almost　sinister　smile；　as　if　he　were　absolved　from

his　〃good〃　ties。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　she　asked；　puzzled；　interested。

〃To　the　Empire。〃

〃Who　with？〃

〃By　myself。　I　came　home　with　Tom　Cooper。〃

She　looked　at　him；　and　wondered　what　he　had　been　doing　She

was　indifferent　as　to　whether　he　lied　or　not。

〃You　have　e　home　very　strange；〃　she　said。　And　there　was　an

appreciative　inflexion　in　the　speech。

He　was　not　affected。　As　for　his　humble；　good　self；　he　was

absolved　from　it。　He　sat　down　and　ate　heartily。　He　was　not

tired。　He　seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　her。

For　Anna　the　moment　was　critical。　She　kept　herself　aloof；　and

watched　him。　He　talked　to　her；　but　with　a　little　indifference；

since　he　was　scarcely　aware　of　her。　So；　then　she　did　not　affect

him。　Here　was　a　new　turn　of　affairs！　He　was　rather　attractive；

nevertheless。　She　liked　him　better　than　the　ordinary　mute；

half…effaced；　half…subdued　man　she　usually　knew　him　to　be。　So；

he　was　blossoming　out　into　his　real　self！　It　piqued　her。　Very

good；　let　him　blossom！　She　liked　a　new　turn　of　affairs。　He　was　a

strange　man　e　home　to　her。　Glancing　at　him；　she　saw　she　could

not　reduce　him　to　what　he　had　been　before。　In　an　instant　she

gave　it　up。　Yet　not　without　a　pang　of　rage；　which　would　insist