第60章

Shemadenoanswer。Shewalkedacrosstheroomtothepianoandbegantoplay，rathernoisilyandrapidly，withoddgustsofemphasis，theshepherd’spipemusicfromthelastactin“TristanandIsolde。”Presentlyshemissedanote，failedagain，ranherfingerheavilyupthescale，struckthepianopassionatelywithherfist，makingafeeblejarinthetreble，jumpedup，andwentoutoftheroom。

Thenursefoundmestillwearingmyhelmetofbandages，partiallydressed，andpotteringroundtheroomtofindtherestofmyclothes。IwasinastateofexasperatedhungerforBeatrice，andIwastooinflamedandweakenedtoconcealthestateofmymind。Iwasfeeblyangrybecauseoftheirritationofdressing，andparticularlyofthestruggletoputonmytrouserswithoutbeingabletoseemylegs。Iwasstaggeringabout，andonceI

hadfallenoverachairandIhadupsetthejarofMichaelmasdaisies。

Imusthavebeenadetestablespectacle。“I’llgobacktobed。”

saidI，“ifImayhaveawordwithMissBeatrice。I’vegotsomethingtosaytoher。That’swhyI’mdressing。”

Mypointwasconceded，buttherewerelongdelays。WhetherthehouseholdhadmyultimatumorwhethershetoldBeatricedirectlyIdonotknow，andwhatLadyOspreycanhavemadeofitintheformercaseIdon’timagine。

AtlastBeatricecameandstoodbymybedside。“Well？”shesaid。

“AllIwanttosay。”Isaidwiththequerulousnoteofamisunderstoodchild，“isthatIcan’ttakethisasfinal。IwanttoseeyouandtalkwhenI’mbetter，andwrite。Ican’tdoanythingnow。Ican’targue。”

Iwasovertakenwithself-pityandbegantosnivel，“Ican’trest。Yousee？Ican’tdoanything。”

Shesatdownbesidemeagainandspokesoftly。“IpromiseIwilltalkitalloverwithyouagain。Whenyouarewell。IpromiseI

willmeetyousomewheresothatwecantalk。Youcan’ttalknow。

Iaskedyounottotalknow。Allyouwanttoknowyoushallknow。Willthatdo？”

“I’dliketoknow“

Shelookedroundtoseethedoorwasclosed，stoodupandwenttoit。

Thenshecrouchedbesidemeandbeganwhisperingverysoftlyandrapidlywithherfaceclosetome。

“Dear。”shesaid，“Iloveyou。Ifitwillmakeyouhappytomarryme，Iwillmarryyou。Iwasinamoodjustnow——astupid，inconsideratemood。OfcourseIwillmarryyou。Youaremyprince，myking。Womenaresuchthingsofmood——orIwouldhavebehaveddifferently。Wesay’No’whenwemean’Yes’——andflyintocrises。Sonow，Yes——yes——yes。Iwill。Ican’tevenkissyou。Givemeyourhandtokissthat。Understand，Iamyours。

Doyouunderstand？Iamyoursjustasifwehadbeenmarriedfiftyyears。Yourwife——Beatrice。Isthatenough？Now——nowwillyourest？”

“Yes。”Isaid，“butwhy？”

“Therearecomplications。Therearedifficulties。Whenyouarebetteryouwillbeableto——understandthem。Butnowtheydon’tmatter。Only