Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/70

 well-planned life would nauseate me. I live for uncertainty. Like you, I guess I'm somewhat of a gambler."

"You surprise me," he told her, "always new moods, new thoughts. You talk like a lost lady and yet I feel sure that you've been true to me ever since we've been in Chicago. Understand I haven't asked you to be. I don't want to place any irksome inhibitions upon you, but nevertheless I have the feeling that you haven't strayed."

"That's true," she admitted, "but I deserve no credit for it. I haven't been true intentionally and even though I've had no other lovers I've looked around a bit. I may split my ticket at any time as soon as I grow bored voting straight. But tell me something about this wife of yours.'"

"There isn't much to tell," he said moodily. "She is the only woman in the world I really hate. I've always hated her. I think that is what made her so fascinating. She is quite a handsome woman and deals out her body as one deals cards. She only plays when the stakes are high enough. I was drunk when I married her, but I soon sobered up. We've been married nine years, but I haven't seen her for ages. She detests me; she loathes me. It is the exact feeling I have for her. Thus we are perfectly mated. She won't divorce me because she wants to stay married to me in order to ruin my life. I make no protest. At least I have the extreme pleasure of knowing I'm ruining hers. She has plenty of money. So have I at present. And we're each waiting patiently for the other to die so that one of us will inherit. She often told me that as soon as I was permanently dead she'd give a swell party for all the folks who hate me and pay for it with the money I leave. Then they could all sit and drink and gloat and tear apart what little reputation I still possessed at my demise."

"She must be a lovely woman," declared Louella sarcastically.

"She is in many ways," he reflected. "She is a woman well worth hating. In fact I love to hate her."

"I daresay though, you didn't hate to love her."

"I should say not. When the spirit moved her she was superb." Louella laughed softly.

"What's the joke?" he queried.