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Sam’s! he’s becoming all Sam’s! I’m getting to mean nothing!

[Sardonically]

Perhaps he realizes subconsciously that I am his father, his rival in your love; but I’m not his father ostensibly, there are no taboos, so he can come right out and hate me to his heart’s content!

[Bitterly]

If he realized how little you love me any more, he wouldn’t bother!

[Exasperatedly]

Oh, Ned, do shut up! I can’t stand hearing those same old reproaches I’ve heard a thousand times before! I can’t bear to hear myself making the same old bitter counter-accusations. And then there’ll be the same old terrible scene of hate and you’ll run away—it used to be to drink and women, now it’s to the Station. Or I’ll send you away, and then after a time I’ll call you back, because I’ll have gotten so lonely again living this lonely lie of my life, with no one to speak to except Sam’s business friends and their deadly wives.

[She laughs helplessly]

Or else you’ll get lonely in your lie a little before I do and come back again of your own desire! And then we’ll kiss and cry and love each other again!

[With an ironical grimace]

Or I might cheat myself into believing I’d fallen in love with