Chapter 71 Chapter 71

In order to repay Griffiths' kindness, Philip shook off all his ambiguous entanglements to him.While they sat smoking by the fire in their dressing-gowns after breakfast on Sunday morning, Philip told him about his quarrel with Nora the day before.Griffiths congratulated him for getting out of the woods so cleanly. "It's the easiest thing in the world to fall in love with a woman," he said with affected dignity, "but it's very tiresome to cut off the threads." Philip was rather pleased with himself that he had escaped so skillfully.Anyway, he is at ease now.The thought of Mildred's happy life at Tours made him really content with her happiness.In spite of his own deep disappointment, the lack of beauty was an act of self-sacrifice to him, and it was this that filled his heart with joy.

But on Monday morning Philip found lying on the table a letter from Nora which read: dearest: On Saturday, I lost my temper. I am really sorry, and I hope you can forgive me.Please come in the afternoon for refreshments as usual.I love you. your nora Philip looked dejected and bewildered.He walked up to Griffiths and handed the letter over. "You'd better not write back," said Griffiths. "Oh, I can't do that," cried Philip. "It would give me a hard time to think of her waiting for my letter. You don't know what it's like to wait for the postman's knock. I know what it's like. I can't let anyone put up with that." torture."

"Dude, you can't break a relationship like that without feeling bad. You gotta bite the bullet for something like that. The pain doesn't last long, you know." Philip sat down again and wrote the following letter: Dear Nora: I feel guilty for making you feel bad.Still, I think it's better for the two of us to keep things where they were on Saturday.I thought, what's the point of letting it go on, since it's no fun anymore?You tell me to go away, and I go away.I don't have the luxury of going back.goodbye. philip carey He showed the letter to Griffiths, and asked for his opinion.After Griffiths finished reading, he stared at Philip with sparkling eyes.What was on his mind, but he didn't say a word.

"I think this letter will do the trick," he said. Philip went out and posted the letter.He had a very uncomfortable morning, speculating about the details of Nora's emotional changes after she received the letter.He was troubled by the thought that Nora might cry.But at the same time, he felt relieved.Imagined pain was always easier to bear than seen pain, and besides, he could now love Mildred freely and exclusively.When the hospital closed, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest at the thought of going to see Mildred that afternoon. As usual, he went back to his room to sort out.He had just inserted the key into the keyhole of the door when suddenly a voice came from behind him.

"Can I come in? I've been waiting for you for half an hour." It was Nora's voice.He suddenly felt his face turn red up to the ears.When she spoke, her voice was cheerful, without a hint of bitterness, and there was nothing in it that could prove the quarrel between the two of them.He felt ashamed.He was frightened and disgusted, but he managed to put on a smile. "Okay, come in," he said. Philip opened the door and Nora went into the living room behind him.He was disturbed, and to calm himself he offered Nora a cigarette and lit one himself.Nora gazed at him brightly.

"You rascal, why did you write me such a dreadful letter? If I took it seriously, it would be enough to make my heart ache." "This letter is by no means a joke," he replied gloomily. "Don't be so stupid. I lost my temper that day, but I wrote and apologized. You are still not satisfied. Well, I came to ask for it again today. After all, you are independent, and I I have no right to ask anything of you. I will never ask you to do anything you don't want to do." She got up from her chair, and approached Philip impulsively with her arms outstretched.

"Let's make peace, Philip. I'm sorry if I offended you." He couldn't stop her from holding his hands, but he didn't dare to look her in the face. "I'm afraid it's too late now," he said. She sat down on the floor next to his legs and hugged his legs. "Philip, don't be silly! I'm hot-tempered, and I know I've hurt your feelings, but it would be foolish to be angry about it. What's the use in making everybody unhappy? Our friendship How delightful." Her fingers stroked his hand slowly. "I love you, Philip." He got up, avoided her, and walked across the room.

"I'm so sorry, there's nothing I can do. That's the end of the whole thing." "You mean you don't love me anymore?" "I'm afraid so." "You were looking for an opportunity to dump me, and you took that, didn't you?" He was silent.She gazed at him for a moment, looking as if she had reached the point where she couldn't bear it.She remained where she was, leaning back in the easy chair.She cried silently, without covering her face with her hands, big teardrops rolled down her cheeks one by one.She didn't sob.Seeing her like this was terrifying and excruciatingly painful.Philip turned away.

"I'm so sorry I broke your heart. Even if I don't love you, it's not my fault." She was silent.She seemed to be overwhelmed with grief, but just sat there dumbly, tears streaming down her cheeks.He might have felt better if she had snapped at him harshly.Philip thought that Nora would lose control of herself when her temper came up, and he expected her to do so.In the back of his mind, he felt that simply having a big quarrel, both of them cursing each other with vicious words, could prove to a certain extent that their actions were innocent.Time flies by.At last he saw her crying silently and became alarmed.He went into the bedroom, poured a glass of water, and bent over Nora.

"Won't you drink some water? If you do, you'll feel better." She stretched her lips listlessly to the glass and took two or three sips of water.Then she asked Philip wearily and softly for a handkerchief.She wiped away her tears. "Naturally, I knew you never loved me the way I love you," she groaned. "I'm afraid that's often the case," he said, "that there are always people who love, and there are always people who are loved." He thought of Mildred, and a pang came over him.Nora was silent for a while. "I have always been so miserable, and my life has been so hateful," she concluded.

Nora said this not to Philip, but to herself.He had never before heard her complain about her life with her husband, or curse her poverty.He had always admired her awe-inspiring way of daring to face the world. "Later, you met me by chance, and you were so kind to me. I admire you because you are smart, and besides, how precious it is to have found someone you can trust. I loved you. But never Expected this to happen, and through no fault of my own." She wept again, but this time she was more in control, and covered her face with Philip's handkerchief.She tried to restrain her emotions. "Give me some more water to drink," she said. She wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry I did such a stupid thing. I wasn't prepared for it." "I'm so sorry, Nora. I want you to know that I'm so grateful for everything you've done for me He didn't know what Nora was looking for in him. "Well, it's all the same," she sighed, "if you want men to treat you well, you must treat them hard; if they treat them well, they will treat you hard." Nora got up from the floor to go, and she gave Philip a long, silent look, followed by a sigh. "It's so baffling. What does it all mean?" Suddenly Philip made up his mind. "I think I'll tell you, I don't want you to think too badly of me, and there's nothing you can do if you are me. Mildred is back." Nora blushed. "Why didn't you tell me right away? Of course I should have known." "I dare not speak." She looked at herself in the mirror and straightened her hat. "Get a cab, please," she said, "I can't walk." Philip went to the door and called to a passing hansom.When she followed him into the street, he was surprised to find her very pale.Her steps were heavy, as if she had grown old in a blink of an eye.Seeing her sick face, he couldn't bear to let her go back alone. "If you don't object, I'll accompany you back." Seeing her noncommittal, he got into the carriage.They drove in silence across the bridge and through the mean streets, where children played and squealed in the street.When the carriage came to the door of Nora's apartment, she did not get out of the carriage at once, and it seemed that she could not gather enough strength to move. "I hope you forgive me, Nora," said Philip. She turned her eyes to Philip.At this moment, he found that those eyes were shining with crystal tears again, but she still tried her best to make a smile appear on the corner of her mouth. "Poor man! You're too worried about me to bother. I don't blame you. I'll be fine." She caressed his face lightly and swiftly to show that she held no rancor against him, and the gesture was only a hint, nothing more.Then she jumped out of the carriage, and went into the house without looking back. After paying the fare, Philip walked towards Mildred's apartment.He felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart, and he wanted to scold himself.But why?He didn't know what else he could do.Passing a fruit shop, he remembered that Mildred liked grapes.He was so grateful that he could show his admiration for her by remembering her every hobby.