Page:The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Grossett & Dunlap).pdf/169

 known you. You poison my whole life. You just think I did badly. It pleases you to pretend that I was bad. All right then, be quiet.”

Uncle Pio went on whistling.

“The fact is I know I was weak to-night, and don’t need you to tell me so. So there. Now go away. I don’t want to see you around. It’s hard enough to play that part without coming back and finding you this way.”

Suddenly Uncle Pio would lean forward and ask with angry intensity: “Why did you take that speech to the prisoner so fast?”

More tears from the Perichole: “Oh God, let me die in peace! One day you tell me to go faster and another to go slower. Anyway I shall be crazy in a year or two and then it won’t matter.”

More whistling.

“Besides the audience applauded as never before. Do you hear me? As never before. There!