Page:The Painted Veil - Maugham - 1925.djvu/80

 Walter’s eyes shone with bitter mockery. They made Kitty a trifle uneasy. She was not quite sure that Charlie had ever said exactly that in so many words.

“He’s said it over and over again.”

“That’s a lie and you know it’s a lie.”

“He loves me with all his heart and soul. He loves me as passionately as I love him. You’ve found out. I’m not going to deny anything. Why should I? We’ve been lovers for a year and I’m proud of it. He means everything in the world to me and I’m glad that you know at last. We’re sick to death of secrecy and compromise and all the rest of it. It was a mistake that I ever married you, I never should have done it, I was a fool. I never cared for you. We never had anything in common. I don’t like the people you like and I’m bored by the things that interest you. I’m thankful it’s finished.”

He watched her without a gesture and without a movement of his face. He listened attentively and no change in his expression showed that what she said affected him.

“Do you know why I married you?”

“Because you wanted to be married before your sister Doris.”

It was true, but it gave her a funny little turn to realise that he knew it. Oddly enough, even in that moment of fear and anger, it excited her compassion. He faintly smiled.

“I had no illusions about you,” he said. “I knew you were silly and frivolous and empty-headed.