Chapter 74 Chapter Seventy-Four

On the Saturday of the following week Mildred returned to London.Philip was by her side that night.He went to the opera and booked two seats.They both drank champagne at dinner.Mildred had been in London for many years, but this was the first time she had been so happy, and she enjoyed life to the fullest.When the theater was over they hired a cab and drove down the Via Pinlico, where Philip hired a room for her.All the way Mildred curled up in Philip's arms. "I am sure you will be very glad to see me," said Philip. Mildred said nothing, but squeezed Philip's hand tenderly.Shows of tenderness were rare for Mildred, and Philip's heart was shaken by her grip.

"I have invited Griffiths to dine with us," Philip told her. "Oh, I'm glad you did. I've wanted to meet him for a long time." There was not much entertainment in town to take Mildred to on a Sunday night.Philip was afraid that Mildred would get bored with him all day.He thought of Griffiths, a man whose every move was amusing enough to help them both pass the evening.Philip liked both Griffiths and Mildred, and wished they would know and like each other.Philip said to Mildred as he went away: "Only six days to go." They pre-booked a booth on the top floor of Romano's.The meal was rich and tasty, and seemed to cost them far more than they paid for it.Philip and Mildred arrived first, and had to sit down and wait for Griffiths.

"He's never punctual, old fellow," began Philip; "he's got as many lovers as he can count, and he's probably fooling around with one of them!" However, as soon as Philip's voice fell, Griffith drifted over.He was tall, thin, and rather handsome.A head in proper proportion to his whole figure, giving people a majestic air, which is quite eye-catching.There was something alluring in his curly hair, in his bold, passionate blue eyes, and in his bright red mouth.Philip found Mildred gazing at Griffith with interest, and an indescribable satisfaction rose in his heart.Griffiths smiled brightly at the two of them as a greeting.

"I've heard a lot about you," said Griffiths to Mildred, shaking hands with her. "I'm afraid that I haven't heard as much about you," she replied. "Not so ringing as you," Philip added. "Has he been ruining my reputation?" Griffiths laughed out loud.Now Philip saw Mildred notice how white and regular Griffiths' teeth were, and how pleasant his smile was. "You two ought to get along as old friends," said Philip, "and I have given you both a good introduction." Griffiths couldn't be in the best mood tonight, for he has finally passed his final exams, qualified as a doctor, and was recently appointed as a resident surgeon at a north London hospital.He is due to take office in early May, before returning home for the holidays.This week was his last in London, and he resolved to take this opportunity to have a good time.He repeated his witty nonsense, which Philip admired, for he could not imitate it himself.Most of what he said meant nothing, but the liveliness with which he spoke gave it weight.While speaking, a kind of vitality flowed out of his mouth like a trickle, and everyone who knew him well was moved by it, as if a warm current flowed through his body.Philip had never seen Mildred beaming like this before.Philip was very glad to see the success of the little party which he had organized.Mildred was really happy.Her laughter grew louder, completely oblivious to the reserved expression of indifference that had become second nature to her.

At this point Griffiths said: "Well, I'm not used to calling you Mrs. Miller. Philip always only called you Mildred." "If you call her that, she probably won't goug out your eyeballs," said Philip, laughing. "Then she'll have to call me Harry." Philip sat silently thinking to himself, while they chatted, that it was very amusing to see other people in good spirits.Griffiths teased Philip from time to time, of course in a good way, for he was always a serious and serious man. "I think he must be very fond of you, Philip," said Mildred, smiling.

"He's not a bad old chap," rejoined Griffiths, taking Philip's hand and shaking it cheerfully. The fact that Griffiths liked Philip seemed to make him all the more attractive.They are all people who eat well, and after a few drops of wine, their strength goes straight to their foreheads.Griffiths talked more and more, to the point of eloquence; although Philip found it interesting, he had to come out and beg him to restrain himself.He has a gift for storytelling, and in the process of telling it, he renders his legendary affairs and amusing charms to the fullest.In these encounters, he played an unrestrained, humorous role.Mildred's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she kept urging Griffiths to continue.So he told one anecdote after another.Mildred was surprised when the lights in the restaurant faded.

"Oh, how fast tonight has passed. I thought it was not half-past nine." They got up and left their seats and walked out of the restaurant.At parting, Mildred added: "I'll have tea at Philip's to-morrow. You might as well come too, if you can." "Okay," Griffiths said with a smile. On the way back to Pinlico Street, Mildred never left Griffiths, completely intoxicated by his handsome appearance, his well-cut clothes, his voice, and his cheerful disposition. "I'm glad you liked him," said Philip. "At first you felt disdainful to see him. Do you remember that?"

"Philip, I think he's a very nice fellow to like you so much. He's really a good friend you should have." She lifted her face to Philip for a kiss, which was a rare gesture for her. "Philip, had a great evening. Thank you so much." "Don't say those goddam things," he laughed.Her admiration touched his heart so deeply that he felt his eyes water. She opened the door, and before going in she turned to Philip and said: "Go tell Harry that I'm madly in love with him." "Okay," he replied with a grin, "good night."

The next day, while they were having tea, Griffiths stepped in and sank into an easy chair.There was an indescribable sex appeal in the slow movements of his thick hands and feet.Philip was silent while Griffiths and Mildred chatted.He was so full of admiration for those two that it seemed to him quite natural that they should adore each other.He did not care if Griffiths had drawn Mildred's mind, for by night Mildred was all his.At this moment, he was like a docile husband who is sure of his wife's feelings and watches with interest as she flirts with a stranger without danger.But at half-past seven he looked at his watch and said:

"Mildred, it's time for us to go out to dinner." There was silence in the room.Griffith looked thoughtful. "Well, I have to go," said Griffiths at last, "I didn't realize it was getting late." "What are you doing tonight?" Mildred asked. "It's nothing." There was another silence.Philip felt a little displeased. "I'm going to relieve myself," said Philip, and then to Mildred. "Do you want to go to the bathroom?" She ignored him. "Why don't you come to dinner with us?" she said to Griffiths.

Griffiths looked at Philip, who was staring darkly at him. "I went with you to dinner last night," Griffiths said with a laugh. "It's inconvenient for me to go to you." "Oh, that's all right," said Mildred firmly. "Tell him to go, Philip. He'll be all right, won't he?" "He'll go if he wants to." "Very well, then," intervened Griffiths promptly, "I'll go upstairs and sort it out." He had hardly left the room when Philip shouted angrily to Mildred: "Why on earth did you ask him to come and dine with us?" "I couldn't help but say it. But isn't it weird when he says he has nothing to do and we don't say a word." "Oh, playing the harp! Then why do you ask him if he's all right?" Mildred pursed her lips. "Sometimes I want a little fun. I get sick of being around you all the time." They heard the thump of Griffiths' footsteps coming down the stairs, and Philip turned and went into the bedroom to wash.They had dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby.Philip kept silent angrily, but he soon realized that his appearance was very unfavorable in front of Griffiths, so he suppressed the full of resentment.He drank glass after glass of wine, using the wine to drown out the grief that was burning in his heart, and he tried to cheer himself up, occasionally interjecting a few words.Mildred felt guilty for what she had just said, and tried her best to please Philip.She looked so pleasant, so affectionate.This made Philip reproach himself for being a fool, and become jealous.After dinner, they took a carriage to the vaudeville theater, and Mildred offered to hold her hand all the way.At this time, the original resentment had already flown to Java.Suddenly, somehow, he became aware that Griffiths was holding her other hand at the same time.A burst of pain hit my heart violently again, it was a scorching pain.Confused, he asked himself a question he might have asked before: whether Mildred and Griffiths were in love with each other.There seemed to be a mist of doubt, resentment, sadness, and depression floating in front of his eyes, and he couldn't see anything clearly about the performance on the stage, but he still tried his best to pretend that nothing had happened, and continued talking and laughing with the two of them. .After a while, an inexplicable desire to torture himself seized his heart, and he stood up abruptly, saying that he wanted to go out for a drink.Mildred and Griffiths had never had a chance to be alone together, and he wanted them to be alone for a while. "I'll go too," said Griffiths, "I'm very thirsty, too." "Oh, nonsense, you stay and talk to Mildred." Philip himself did not know how he came to say such things.He brushed them both aside, making the pain inside him unbearable.Instead of going to the bar, he went out onto the balcony, from where he could spy on them without being noticed.I saw that the two of them no longer watched the show, but smiled at each other.Griffiths was talking as brightly as ever, while Mildred listened with rapt attention.Philip felt his headache was splitting, and stood there motionless.He knew he would get in the way if he went back.They had a great time without him, but he was a torment.Time flies, and now he is especially ashamed to go back to them again.He knew in his heart that neither of them had him in mind at all.He thought sadly that he had paid for the dinner and the theater tonight.How hard they played themselves!He was ashamed and angry, unable to control himself.He could see how happy they were both without him.He would have left them and gone back to his lodgings, but he hadn't his hat and coat, and besides, he would have to explain himself endlessly.He returned to his seat.He noticed a hint of sullenness in Mildred's gaze towards him, and his heart sank. "You've been walking for a while," said Griffiths, with a small smile on his face. "I've bumped into a few acquaintances, and it's hard to get away from the conversation. I think you two must be very good together." "I'm very happy," said Griffiths, "I don't know what Mildred thinks." She gave a short, self-satisfied laugh, which had something vulgar about it, and Philip was horrified at it.He suggested that they should go back. "Well," said Griffiths, "I'll take you home with Philip." Philip suspected that Mildred had first hinted at this arrangement.In this way, she can avoid him sending herself back alone.He did not take her hand in the carriage, and Mildred did not extend her hand to him; but he knew that she held Griffiths' hand all the way.His chief thought at the time was that it was all just plain vulgar.The carriage rattled forward.He secretly wondered what kind of tryst arrangements the two of them had made behind his back. Thinking of this, he couldn't help cursing himself for leaving and giving them an opportunity. In fact, it was his deliberately leaving that prompted them to do so. "We'll go back in the carriage, too," said Philip, when the carriage came to Mildred's place. "I'm too tired to lift my feet." On the way back to their apartment, Griffiths talked and laughed, but Philip ignored it and responded indifferently, but Griffiths didn't seem to care.Philip thought in his stomach, and Griffith must have noticed that something was wrong.At last Philip became more and more silent, and Griffiths, unable to pretend any longer, seemed embarrassed, and broke off the conversation abruptly.Philip wanted to say something, but was too ashamed to speak.However, the opportunity is not lost, and time waits for no one. It is best to take this opportunity to find out the truth of the matter immediately.He forced himself to speak. "Do you love Mildred?" he asked suddenly. "Me?" laughed Griffiths. "Is that why you've been so mean tonight? Of course I don't love her, my dear fellow." He said so and took Philip's arm, but Philip moved away.He knew in his heart that Griffiths was lying.He could not force Griffiths to tell himself that he had not shaken Mildred's hand.Suddenly, he felt paralyzed and exhausted. "It doesn't matter to you, Harry," he said. "You've got so many women to play with, don't take her away from me. It means my whole life. My situation is dire enough." His voice also became strange, his words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't help sobbing and crying.He blushed, almost ashamed. "Dear old chap, I'd never do anything to hurt you, you know that. I like you too much to do something like that. I was just kidding Yes. If I had known you would be so sad about it, I would have played it safe." "Is that true?" Philip asked immediately. "Her, I don't even like her. I put my name on it." Philip sighed with relief.The carriage stopped abruptly in front of their apartment.