human
Sit down a moment, do, he begged,
gpt
Do you find it warm?
human
Not at all, he responded with negligible irony.
gpt
It is in some respects uncommonly chilly. He spoke without the slightest petulance.
human
For Heaven’s sake, tell me what I have done!
gpt
I don’t know what you mean.
human
I mean, you are not kind in your manner toward me. I left you--I hoped you would remember--to do a favor for you----
gpt
For me?
human
At least, I conceived it to be for you,
gpt
That is a mistake.
human
Very good. Let us call it mistake number one. I spent five days with Dolly and her guests----
gpt
Guests, repeated Alice, lingering slightly on the word, as she poked the turf slowly with her sunshade,
human
Guest! he echoed,
gpt
Ah! He paused.
human
Who has put me wrong in so simple a matter? What I did was no more than to be agreeable to Dolly’s guests. I spent much time with the guest of honor at Dolly’s repeated requests. She happened to sing a song that pleased me very much, for one particular reason; it was your lovely little Italian air; I am not ashamed to say it brought back pleasant moments. Since she could do nothing else that was so pleasing, he continued,
gpt
I kept her singing the song. She became bored and naturally ceased to be good-natured. Then, Dolly asked me to run around by Nantucket, which we could have done in two days. Not to be churlish, I consented. Then the coal gave out, which took another day.
human
What a mishap! Well, I am glad to hear the trip went pleasantly.
gpt
If you are, something has gone wrong with you----
human
Nothing whatever, I can assure you.
gpt
You are offended with me.
human
I assure you I am not.
gpt
I assure you, you are. He took the sunshade from her hand.
human
You remember the fable about the man that tried to oblige everybody? He wasn’t a refiner--he was a mere miller. At the start I really did my best for three days to entertain Dolly’s lovely vampire and at the end of that time she made a face at me--and wound up by telling Dolly my head was full of another woman. Then--to be quite shamefully frank--I had to dodge Lottie Nelson’s apologies for her unpleasant temper on an evening that you remember; altogether my lot was not a happy one. My head was full of another woman. You remember you said nobody could resist her charm? I thought of it. What is charm? I often asked myself. I saw nothing of charm in that charming woman. Who can define it? But penetration! She could read you like a printed book. We talked one night of American women. I dared to say they were the loveliest in the world. She grew incensed. ’They know absolutely nothing!’ she exclaimed. ’That is why we like them’ I answered. ’They are innocent; you are as corrupt as I am.’ Then she would call me a hypocrite. He stopped suddenly and Alice felt his eyes keenly upon her.
gpt
Is it possible you do not believe what I am saying?
human
Innocent women believe whatever they are told.
gpt
I don’t deserve sarcasm. I am telling the simple truth. For once I am wholly at fault, Alice. I don’t know what the matter is. _What_ has happened?
human
Nothing has happened; only to-day I seem especially stupid.
gpt
Are you as frank with me as I am with you?
human
If you no longer believe me--what can I do?
gpt
It isn’t at all that I do not believe you--what difference should it make whether or no I believe you? Suppose I were frank enough to admit that something I heard of you had disappointed me a little. What credit should I have for commenting on what in no way concerns me?
human
Anything heard to my discredit should be carefully received. Believe the best of me as long as you can. It will never be necessary, Alice, for any one to tell you I am unworthy; when that day comes you will know it first from me. And if I ever am unworthy, it will not be because I willed to be--only because through my baseness I never could know what it means to be worthy of a woman far above me.
gpt
A moment! It was about me, was it? he continued.
human
Did you receive it cautiously? Put me in your position. How do you think one would fare who came to me with anything to your discredit? Think of it, Alice--how do you think one would fare--look at me.