Chapter 8 chapter eight

After tea John said to Henrietta, "Go for a walk," and Mrs. Angkatell said that Gerda must be taken to see the Garden of the Rocks, though it was a rather inappropriate time of year. Walking with John, Henrietta thought, was not like walking with Edward, anything could happen. With Edward you can seldom walk more than a loafer.Edward was a born idler.Walking with John, all she could do was keep up with him, and when they reached Shaffer Heights, she gasped, "This isn't a marathon, John!" He slowed down and smiled. "Are you tired?" "I can go so fast - but is there any need? We don't need to catch the train. Why are you so energetic? Are you running from yourself?"

He stopped completely. "Why do you say that?" Henrietta looked at him strangely. "I don't mean anything in particular." John walked on again, but at a noticeably slower pace. "Actually," he said, "I'm tired. I'm very tired." She heard the weariness in his voice. "How's Crabtree?" "It's too early to draw conclusions, but I think, Henrietta, I've looked at what's going on, and if I'm correct"—his pace began to pick up—"a lot of our ideas will be be completely changed—we're going to have to rethink the whole thing about hormones—"

"You mean, there's going to be a cure for Ridgway's disease? Don't those people die?" "This, occasionally." What strange people doctors are, Henrietta thought.occasionally! "Scientifically speaking, it opens up all kinds of possibilities!" He took a deep breath. "But it's good to be here—some fresh air into your lungs—and to see you." He gave her a sudden, quick smile, "and it will be good for Gerda. " "Gerda, of course, she absolutely loves coming to the Void Manor!" "Of course. By the way, have I met Edward Angkatel before?"

"You met him twice," said Henrietta flatly. "I can't remember. He was kind of vague, uncertain." "Edward was a lovely man. I've always liked him." "Well, don't let us waste time on Edward! These people are not considered." Henrietta said in a low voice: "John I'm afraid of you sometimes!" "Afraid of me—what do you mean?" He turned his startled face to her. "You're so indifferent—so inexplicable." "At a loss?" "You don't know—you don't understand—you're so weird and insensitive! You don't know what other people are feeling and thinking."

"I'd say it's just the opposite." "You see what you see, yes. You—you are like a searchlight. A powerful beam of light hits the spot of your interest, and behind and on both sides of it is darkness! " "Henrietta, my dear, what does all this mean?" "It's dangerous, John. You think everybody likes you, and they all have good intentions for you. People like Lucy, for example." "Didn't Lucy like me?" he wondered. "I've always liked her." "So you think she likes you too, but I'm not sure. And Gerda and Edward—oh, and Mitch and Henry. How did you know how they felt about you?"

"And Henrietta? Do I know how she feels?" He took her hand and held it for a moment. "At least—I'm sure of you." She withdrew her hand. "You can't be sure of anybody in this world, John." His face became serious. "No, I don't believe any of that. I'm sure of you, and I'm sure of myself. At least—" His face changed. "What, John?" "You know what I found in my own conversation today? Something really ridiculous. 'I want to go home.' That's something I said, but I had no idea what I was referring to."

Henrietta said slowly, "You must have some sort of picture in your head." He responded strongly: "No, nothing!" At dinner that night, Henrietta was seated next to David.And at the end of the table, Lucy's slender eyebrows communicated not an order -- Lucy never gave orders -- but a request. Sir Henry was doing his best with Gerda, and quite successfully.John, with a smile on his face, was following the leaps of Lucy's scattershot thoughts.Mitch was talking to Edward in an unnatural way, and he seemed more absent than usual. David glared at everyone and crumbled his bread into crumbs with one tense hand.

David came to the fantasy manor with a rather reluctant mood.Hitherto he had had no contact with either Sir Henry, nor Lady Angkater, and was wholly in disapproval of the Empire, as he would disapprove of any of his relations.Edward, the man he didn't know, he thought he was an incomprehensible person and despised him.He surveyed the remaining four guests with a critical eye.Relatives, he thought, were terrible, and he was expected to talk to them, which was something he hated to do. He discounted Mickey and Henrietta's performance as empty-headed.Dr. Crystal was only one of those quacks in Harley Street--for all his manners and social success--his wife obviously couldn't be considered.

David twitched his neck in the collar, and wished fervently that all these people knew how much he despised them!They are all irrelevant. When he mentally repeated these words to himself three times, he felt better.He still glared, but stopped touching his bread. Although Henrietta frowned, it was still a bit troublesome to make progress.David's curt answer was one of extreme snubbing.Ultimately, she turned to a method she had used on young men with locked teeth.When she learns that David has a lot of technique and musical knowledge, she makes a deliberately arbitrary and unsubstantiated conversation about a modern composer.

To her delight, the plan worked.Davy sprang from his listless posture and sat up straight.His voice was no longer low and muttering.He stopped smashing the bread. "That," he said in a loud, clear tone, with his cold eyes fixed on Henrietta, "shows that you know absolutely nothing about the subject!" From then on, until the end of the dinner, he addressed her in a clear, sharp tone.And Henrietta maintained the proper modesty of being known. Lucy Angkatell cast a friendly look across the table, and Mickey smiled to himself. "You're so clever, my dear," whispered Mrs. Angkatell as she took Henrietta's arm on the way to the drawing room. "If people didn't have a lot of stuff in their heads, they'd get a better idea of ​​how to use their hands. What a horrible thought! Do you think that playing hearts, bridge , Rum (Annotation: A card game played with two decks of cards.), or something very simple, like snatching animals (Annotation: A special card game.) How about?"

"I think Davy will find it a great insult to kill the animals." "Perhaps you're right. Bridge, then. I'm sure he'll find bridge rather worthless, and then he'll despise us with all his enthusiasm." They set up two tables.Together with Gerda, Henrietta takes on John and Edward.It wasn't the best grouping in her head.She thought of separating Gerda from Lucy, and, if possible, from John--but John had already made his decision.Edward, on the other hand, takes the first step and stops Mickey. Henrietta felt that the atmosphere was not very comfortable.But she didn't quite know where this uncomfortable feeling came from.At any rate, if the cards gave them anything like a chance, she intended for Gerda to win.Gerda wasn't really a bad bridge player--without John she was like everyone else--but she was a neurotic player who didn't have the right sense to really recognize the cards she was holding. the value of.John played his cards well, if not overconfidently.Edward is a really good poker player. The night slowly passed, but Henrietta's table was still playing.Scores are rising on both sides.An odd tension pervades the game, except for one person who doesn't feel it. For Gerda, it was just a game of bridge, and it happened that she was very happy this time.She felt a real pleasant excitement.The difficult decision was made easy by Henrietta bidding more cards than he had in his hand and doing his best. In many moments, John could not restrain his critical attitude towards Gerda, which made Gerda lose confidence.He exclaimed, "Why on earth did you get the clubs first, Gerda?" and Henrietta's quickness caused her to strike back almost immediately, "Nonsense, John, of course she has to get the clubs first! It's the only reasonable thing to do." Finally, with a sigh, Henrietta pulled the scoring record in front of her. "We won the third set and this one, but I don't think we'll win much, Gerda." "A lucky steal," said John. Henrietta looked up sharply.She knew his tone.Their eyes met and hers dropped. She got up and went to the mantelpiece, John following her.He said in a conversational tone, "You don't always seem to be deliberately getting behind others' grasp, do you?" Henrietta said calmly, "Perhaps I see a little of what you mean. How base it is to try to win at the game!" "You mean you want Gerda to win the game. Your wish is to entertain the people, and you didn't say you wouldn't cheat." "What a terrible way you see things! You are always right." "It seems that my partner also shared your wish." Then he noticed, Henrietta thought.She once doubted herself, whether she did something wrong.Edward is so tactful - there's nothing wrong with it that you can catch. This worried Henrietta.Edward, she knew him, would never play his cards in order for her, to possibly win.For this, he strayed too far from the sporting ethic of the British.No, she thought, this was just another victory for the John Crystal he couldn't stand. She suddenly felt a little excited and sensitive.She didn't like Lucy's party. And then dramatically, unexpectedly—with a non-existent stage appearance—Veronica Clay walks in through the window. The French windows were open, not closed, for the night was warm.Veronica pushed them away and walked through them, standing there like a flame in the night.She was smiling, charming, and was in that very brief moment before she spoke so she could get to know her audience. "You must forgive me - for intruding into you so suddenly. I am your neighbour, Mrs Angercartel - I come from that ridiculous cottage called The Pigeon Cottage - the worst disaster befalls Already!" She was all smiles—and more humorous. "Not a match! Not a match in the house! On a Saturday night. How stupid I am, but what can I do? I have to come here and ask for help from my only neighbor for miles." For an instant no one spoke, because Veronica had such influence.She's cute—not terribly cute, not even blindingly cute—but effective cute.Take your breath away!The light shining waves, the well-defined mouth—the white fox shawl wraps around her shoulders.Below is a long white velvet dress. She commented on each one in turn, looking humorous and charming! "I smoke," she said, "like a chimney! And my lighter isn't working again! And besides that there's breakfast—the gas stove—" She held out her hands. "I really feel like a complete idiot." Lucy stepped forward with graceful, faint pleasure. "Oh, of course—" she began.Veronica Clay interrupted her. She is watching John Crystal.With a surprised expression, a face full of doubt and excitement, she walked towards him with her arms outstretched. "Oh, you're John Crystal! Isn't that so unusual? I haven't seen you in ages and ages! Suddenly—found you here!" She kept his hand in her own.She was filled with utter warmth and absolute enthusiasm.Her head was half turned to Mrs Angkatell. "It was the most wonderful surprise. John was my friend. Oh, John was the first man I ever loved! I was crazy about you, John." She was half-smiling now—a woman moved by the ridiculous memory of a first love. "I always thought John was amazing!" The courteous and elegant Sir Henry walked towards her. She must have something to drink, and he reached for the glass.Mrs Angkatell said: "Mitch, honey, please ring the bell." When Gjen came in, Lucy said: "Take a box of matches, Gjen—at least that many, is there enough for the chef?" "Just delivered a dozen today, ma'am." "Then get half a dozen, Gagen." "Oh no, Mrs. Angkatell—just one box!" protested Veronica, laughing.She is now drinking and smiling at everyone around her.John Crystal says: "This is my wife, Veronica." "Oh, nice to meet you." Veronica smiled at the bewildered Gerda. Gjeon brought the matches and put them on a silver tray. Mrs Angkatell pointed to Veronica with a gesture, and he held the tray towards her. "Oh, dear Mrs Angkatell, not so much!" Lucy's pose is effortless and dignified. "It's no fun to just take one box, we have more." Sir Henry said cheerfully: "How does it feel to live in the loft?" "I love it. It's nice here, close to London and has a nice sense of isolation." Veronica put down the glass in her hand, pulled the white fox shawl tighter, and smiled at everyone. "Thank you very much! You are so friendly." The words floated between Sir Henry, Lady Angkatell, and, for some reason, Edward. "I'm home now, that mess. John," she gave him an innocent, friendly smile, "and I'm dying to know what you've been doing all these years since I last saw you." What. Of course, we're all old." She went to the window, and John Crystal followed her.She gave everyone a big smile. "I'm so sorry to have disturbed you all in such a stupid way. Thank you very much, Mrs Angkatell." She followed John out.Sir Henry stood at the window and watched them go. "A very nice warm night," he said. Mrs Angkatell yawned. "Oh dear," she muttered, "we must go to bed. Henry, we must see a picture of her. I'm sure she'll put on a lovely show for us all from tonight onwards. " They walked upstairs together.Mitch, after saying good night, asked Lucy: "What does a lovely show mean?" "Don't you think so, dear?" "I deduce, Lucy, that what you think is possible, she doesn't need any matches at all." "Matches by the dozen, I suppose, dear. But we can't be hard on people, and besides, it's a good show!" The doors in the corridor were all shut, and everyone said good night."I will leave the window for Crystal," said Sir Henry, and he closed his own door. Henrietta said to Gerda: "How funny the actresses are, they make such bizarre entrances and exits!" She added, yawning, "I'm so sleepy." Veronica Clay walked lightly along the narrow path through the chestnut grove. She emerged from the woods into the open area by the swimming pool.Here's a little awning where the Angkatells sit on those sunny but breezy days. Veronica Clay stood quietly.She turned around and faced John Crystal. Then he laughed.She gestured to the leafy swimming pool. "Not very much like the Mediterranean, is it, John?" she said. He knew then what it was that he had been waiting for—that it had been with him all these fifteen years of being apart from Veronica.The blue water, the scent of the mimosa, the hot dust—was pushed away, receded from view, but he never really forgot it.All of them mean only one thing - Veronica.He was a young lad of twenty-four, desperately and painfully in love, and this time he was not going to run away.