Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/379

Rh “I might—” Justine faltered, losing her exact sense of the words she used.

“Ah,” the other ﬂashed back, “then you have inﬂuence! Why will you not use it?”

Justine waited a moment; then her resolve gathered itself into words. “If I have any inﬂuence, I am not sure it would be well to use it as you suggest.”

“Not to urge Mr. Amherst’s return?”

“No—not now.”

She caught the same veiled gleam of incredulity under Mrs. Ansell’s lids—caught and disregarded it.

“It must be now or never,” Mrs. Ansell insisted.

“I can’t think so,” Justine held out.

“Nevertheless—will you try?”

“No—no! It might be fatal.”

“To whom P”

“To both.” She considered. “If he came back now I know he would not stay.”

Mrs. Ansell was upon her abruptly. “You know? Then you speak with authority?”

“No—what authority? I speak as I feel,” Justine faltered.

The older woman drew herself to her feet. “Ah—then you shoulder a great responsibility!” She moved nearer to Justine, and once more laid a fugitive touch upon her. “You won’t write to him?”

“No—no,” the girl ﬂung back; and the voices of the [ 363 ]