Page:The Garden Party (Mansfield).djvu/187

Rh like forty, laughing, sneering, jeering, stretching out their hands while she read them William’s letter. Oh, what a loathsome thing to have done. How could she have done it! God forbid, my darling, that I should be a drag on your happiness. William! Isabel pressed her face into the pillow. But she felt that even the grave bedroom knew her for what she was, shallow, tinkling, vain. . ..

Presently from the garden below there came voices.

“Isabel, we’re all going for a bathe. Do come!”

“Come, thou wife of William!”

“Call her once before you go, call once yet!”

Isabel sat up. Now was the moment, now she must decide. Would she go with them, or stay here and write to William. Which, which should it be? “I must make up my mind.” Oh, but how could there be any question? Of course she would stay here and write.

“Titania!” piped Moira.

“Isa-bel?”

No, it was too difficult. “I’ll—I’ll go with them, and write to William later. Some other time. Later. Not now. But I shall certainly write,” thought Isabel hurriedly.

And, laughing in the new way, she ran down the stairs. 183