Page:The woman, the man, and the monster (IA womanmanmonster00dawe).pdf/299

 “He always was rather eccentric,” he said, and marvelled at the steadiness of his own

voice.

' “One might easily call it more than eccen- tricity,” she replied. “I suppose you heard of his marriage?”

“Ah, then he’s married at last!’ he answered evasively. But he was still looking straight ahead of him, marvelling at the strange pranks we are sometimes forced to play.

“An awful mésalliance, aunt says; some singing woman whom he met abroad. Of course they were not happy. I believe she is not a very nice person.”

“Is he?”

“Oh, but that’s different, isn’t it? Besides, I know little of him beyond hearsay, and frank- ly that little has not been to his advantage. Personally I should say that he is quite mad.”

“You are charitable, my dear Pauline. Did he mention me at all?”

“T never heard.”

“Then you did not see him?’

“Only for a moment as he rushed from the room. I am not sure that he even knew who I was. He was muttering to himself in the

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