Page:The Tragic Muse (London & New York, Macmillan & Co., 1890), Volume 3.djvu/95

Rh articulated the challenge I have just recorded, she seemed to him to have at any rate the truth of gentleness and generosity.

"There's something the matter with you—you're jealous," said Miriam. "You're jealous of Mr. Dormer. That's an example of the way you tangle everything up. Lord, he won't hurt you, nor me either!"

"He can't hurt me, my dear, and neither can you; for I have a nice little heart of stone and a smart new breastplate of iron. The interest I take in you is something quite extraordinary; but the most extraordinary thing in it is that it's perfectly prepared to tolerate the interest of others."

"The interest of others needn't trouble it much!" Miriam declared. "If Mr. Dormer had broken off his marriage to such an awfully fine woman (for she is that, your swell of a sister), it isn't for a loud wretch like me. He's kind to me because that's his nature, and he notices me because that's his business; but he's away up in the clouds—a thousand miles over my head. He has got something 'on,' as they say; he's in love with an idea. I think it's a shocking bad one, but that's his own affair. He's quite exalté; living on nectar and ambrosia—what he has to spare for us poor crawling things on earth is only a few dry crumbs. I didn't even ask him to come to rehearsal. Besides, he thinks you're in love with me and that it wouldn't be honourable to cut in. He's capable of that—isn't it charming?"

"If he were to relent and give up his scruples, would you marry him?" asked Sherringham.