下载辰思小说免费APP
Shewasinastateofgreatexcitement，andthemusclesofherarmsweretwitchingnervously。ItwasevidentthatshewasonlywaitingforthedoortoshuttotellRachelallaboutit。Indeed，directlytheywereinsideherroom，shesatontheendofthebedandsaid，“IsupposeyouthinkI’mmad？“
Rachelwasnotinthemoodtothinkclearlyaboutanyone’sstateofmind。Shewashoweverinthemoodtosaystraightoutwhateveroccurredtoherwithoutfearoftheconsequences。
“Somebody’sproposedtoyou，“sheremarked。
“Howonearthdidyouguessthat？“Evelynexclaimed，somepleasureminglingwithhersurprise。“DoasIlookasifI’djusthadaproposal？“
“Youlookasifyouhadthemeveryday，“Rachelreplied。
“ButIdon’tsupposeI’vehadmorethanyou’vehad，“Evelynlaughedratherinsincerely。
“I’veneverhadone。“
“Butyouwill——lots——it’stheeasiestthingintheworld——Butthat’snotwhat’shappenedthisafternoonexactly。It’s——Oh，it’samuddle，adetestable，horrible，disgustingmuddle！“
Shewenttothewash-standandbegansponginghercheekswithcoldwater；
fortheywereburninghot。Stillspongingthemandtremblingslightlysheturnedandexplainedinthehighpitchedvoiceofnervousexcitement:
“AlfredPerrottsaysI’vepromisedtomarryhim，andIsayIneverdid。
Sinclairsayshe’llshoothimselfifIdon’tmarryhim，andIsay，’Well，shootyourself！’Butofcoursehedoesn’t——theyneverdo。
AndSinclairgotholdofmethisafternoonandbeganbotheringmetogiveananswer，andaccusingmeofflirtingwithAlfredPerrott，andtoldmeI’dnoheart，andwasmerelyaSiren，oh，andquantitiesofpleasantthingslikethat。SoatlastIsaidtohim，’Well，Sinclair，you’vesaidenoughnow。Youcanjustletmego。’
Andthenhecaughtmeandkissedme——thedisgustingbrute——Icanstillfeelhisnastyhairyfacejustthere——asifhe’danyrightto，afterwhathe’dsaid！“
Shespongedaspotonherleftcheekenergetically。
“I’venevermetamanthatwasfittocomparewithawoman！“
shecried；“they’venodignity，they’venocourage，they’venothingbuttheirbeastlypassionsandtheirbrutestrength！Wouldanywomanhavebehavedlikethat——ifamanhadsaidhedidn’twanther？
We’vetoomuchself-respect；we’reinfinitelyfinerthantheyare。“
Shewalkedabouttheroom，dabbingherwetcheekswithatowel。
Tearswerenowrunningdownwiththedropsofcoldwater。
“Itmakesmeangry，“sheexplained，dryinghereyes。
Rachelsatwatchingher。ShedidnotthinkofEvelyn’sposition；
sheonlythoughtthattheworldwasfullorpeopleintorment。
“There’sonlyonemanhereIreallylike，“Evelyncontinued；
“TerenceHewet。Onefeelsasifonecouldtrusthim。“
AtthesewordsRachelsufferedanindescribablechill；herheartseemedtobepressedtogetherbycoldhands。
“Why？“sheasked。“Whycanyoutrusthim？“
“Idon’tknow，“saidEvelyn。“Don’tyouhavefeelingsaboutpeople？
Feelingsyou’reabsolutelycertainareright？IhadalongtalkwithTerencetheothernight。Ifeltwewerereallyfriendsafterthat。
There’ssomethingofawomaninhim——“ShepausedasthoughshewerethinkingofveryintimatethingsthatTerencehadtoldher，soatleastRachelinterpretedhergaze。
Shetriedtoforceherselftosay，“Hastobeproposedtoyou？“
butthequestionwastootremendous，andinanothermomentEvelynwassayingthatthefinestmenwerelikewomen，andwomenwerenoblerthanmen——forexample，onecouldn’timagineawomanlikeLillahHarrisonthinkingameanthingorhavinganythingbaseabouther。
“HowI’dlikeyoutoknowher！“sheexclaimed。
Shewasbecomingmuchcalmer，andhercheekswerenowquitedry。
Hereyeshadregainedtheirusualexpressionofkeenvitality，andsheseemedtohaveforgottenAlfredandSinclairandheremotion。
“LillahrunsahomeforinebriatewomenintheDeptfordRoad，“
shecontinued。“Shestartedit，managedit，dideverythingoffherownbat，andit’snowthebiggestofitskindinEngland。
Youcan’tthinkwhatthosew
