The Wilmington morning star., 1947-07-04
1916, BY Agaiho Christi. Mauowon Distributed BY King Feature. Syndicate

her work was indeed less OBJ
sessed by it than most artists he
knew. 1t was only on very rare &C.
casions that her absorption with
some inner vision spoiled the COM
pleteness of her interest in him.
But it always reused his furious
anger.
Once he had said, his voice
sharp and hard, would you give
all this up if 1 asked you to-"
"All-what?" Her warm voice
held surprise.
"All-this." He waved a COM
prehensiva hand around the stu
do.
And Immediately he thought to
himself, Fool! Why did you ask
her that? And again. Let her say
"Of course" Let her lie to me! If
she'll only say, "Of course I will
It doesn't matter if she means it
or not! But let her say it. I must
have peace.
Instead, she had said nothing
for some time. Her eyes had
gone dreamy and distracted. She
had frowned a little.
ST suppose SO. If It were ne
cessary 49,.
Necessary? What do you mean
by necessarily"
II don't really know what
mean by 1t, John. Necessary, as
an amputation might be neces-
sary.'
Nothing short Of a surgical
operation, in fact!"
you are angry. What did you
want me to say"
"You know well enough. one
word would have done. Yes, Why
couldn't you say it? You say en-
ough things to other people to
please them, without caring wheth-
er they're true or not. Why not me?
For Gods sake, why not to me?'
And still, very slowly, she had
answered: =.
II don't know really, I don't
know, John. / can't-that's all.
can't"
He had walked up and down Tor
a minute or two. Then he had said:
"You will drive me mad, Henri
eta. 1 never feel that I have any
influence over you at all"
why should you want 70
have?"
IT don't know, but I do"
He threw himself down on a
chair.
81 want to come first"
'You do, John"
"No. II I were dead, the first
thing you'd do, with the tears
streaming down your face, would
be TO start modelling some blasted
mourning woman or some figure Of
grief"
IT wonder. I believe-yes, per
haps I would. It's rather horrible.
She had sat there looking at
him with dismayed eyes.
4 ts~i.a e4a 3 RS"
The pudding was burnt. Chris
tow raised his eyebrows over 1t
and Gerda hurried into apologies.
I'm SO sorry, dear. l can't think
why that should happen! It's my
fault. Give me the top and you
take the underneath"
The pudding was burnt because
he, John Christow. had stayed Sit
ting in his consulting room for a
quarter of an hour after he needed
to, thinking about Henrietta and
Mrs. Crabtree and letting ridlcul-
Gus nostalgia feelings about San
Miguel sweep over him. The fault
was his. It was idiotic OF Gerda
TO try and take the blame, mad
dening Of her to try and eat the
burnt part herself. Why did she
herself? Why did Terence stare at
always have to make a martyr OF
him in that slow, interested way?
Why. oh, why, did Zena have to
sniff So continually? Why were
they all 80 darned irritating?
His wrath fell on Zena.
''Nhy On earth don't you blow
Your nose?"
She's got 4 Mite cold, J t11nk,
dear"
mo, she hasn't. You're aaways
thinking they have colds! She's all
right"
Gerda sighed. She had never
been able to understand why a
doctor, who spent his time treat
ing the ailments Of others. could
be so indifferent to the health OF
his own family. He always ridl-
culed any suggestion of illness.
Il sneezed eight times before
lupsh," said Zena Importantly.
frfeat Resss." said John
'1A IT ket," 6aaA Fere1ss.