human
She's right in there, she said, referring to Georgia in a sepulchral tone which might fittingly have been employed for:
gpt
The remains have been laid out in the front room.
human
My, but I'm glad you've come, she said, brushing aside several hundred letters that Ernestine might have a place to sit down.
gpt
I'm having the most terrible twinge of conscience.
human
Why, what about?
gpt
Think of my not being at the office! I ought to be hanging around now for an afternoon assignment.
human
You'll get over that,
gpt
Oh, I suppose so. One gets over everything--even being alive. Meanwhile, behold me, --with a great sweep of her arms--
human
That one looks like Freddie Allen's writing,
gpt
It is, said Georgia, with feeling;
human
I suppose he's nice still,
gpt
Oh, I suppose so. I'm sure I don't know. He's way back there in the dim past.
human
Well, do you want him up here in the sunny present?
gpt
No, oh no--if I had wanted him I would have had him,
human
But we had some good times back there in the dim past, didn't we, Ernestine?
gpt
Some of them were good times,
human
Of course our college life would have been happier if we had been able to pull down that sophomore flag. I've always thought Jack Stewart might have done a little better with that. But as long as we kept Jim Jones away from every party in his junior year, perhaps we should be satisfied. Georgia sighed heavily.
gpt
And it is a joy to think back to your telling the dean he didn't have the courage of his convictions when he let them fire Stone for heresy. Oh there are a good many things to be thankful for. You always had lots of nerve when it came to a show-down. You looked so lady-like, and yet you really weren't at all.
human
Well, I don't know whether I like that or not.
gpt
I mean not so lady-like that it interfered with anything you wanted to do. You'd speak up in the pleasantest, most agreeable voice and say the most dreadful things. I'll never forget the day you told Prof
human
I always did,
gpt
Then one day when we had spent an hour trying to tell what Shakespeare meant by some line you said you thought quite likely he put it in just because there had to be another line. And Prof
human
I have reason to,
gpt
The funny part of it was that you never seemed to think you were saying anything startling. Like the day you contended in ethics that you thought frequently it was better to be pleasant than truthful. Kitty Janeway was so shocked at that. I wonder if Kitty Janeway is any happier with her second husband than she was with her first?
human
I'm sure I don't know,
gpt
I'll send all the girls cards, said Georgia, and again she sighed heavily.
human
The cards are going to look very nice,
gpt
Ernestine?
human
Yes?
gpt
You and I are hanging right over the ragged edge of thirty.
human
Horrors!--Georgia; is this your idea of furnishing pleasant entertainment for a guest?
gpt
But I was just thinking how many things have happened to us since we were twenty-two.
human
I was thinking of that a minute ago myself.
gpt
To you, especially. Now, I never supposed when we were in college that you were going to marry Karl Hubers.
human
No, laughed Ernestine,
gpt
I mean I never associated you two with one another. And now I can't think of you separately. And then your father and mother, and then Karl losing--heavens, but I'm cheerful! Now, isn't it just like me, she demanded, angrily,
human
I don't think you're going to have much to weep about, Georgia. I know you're going to be happy.
gpt
Well, if I'm not it won't be Joe's fault. Unless it is his fault on account of its _not_ being his fault. What I mean is that good-natured people are sometimes aggravating.
human
Oh he'll not always be good-natured,
gpt
Oh Ernestine--I'm so glad I remembered. You really must go down to the Art Institute and see those pictures by that Norwegian artist--I shouldn't dream of pronouncing his name. They go away this week, and it would be awful for you to miss them.
human
I know, she said briefly.
gpt
I read about them. I've been--thinking about it. I did see some of them in Europe, but of course I should love to see them again.
human
I wish you would, my dear; perhaps --a little fearfully--
gpt
--gathering courage--
human
Perhaps Mr. Ryan does not understand everything in life,
gpt
Now, Ernestine--he was lovely about you. Would he have shown any feeling at all if he didn't care a great deal for your work? Does any one fly into a rage at _my_ not painting? He said you were _one_ American woman who was an artist instead of 'a woman who paints.' It seems he saw the Salon picture. Oh, he said beautiful things about you.
human
Now, Ernestine, Georgia went on, after the manner of one bound to have it out,
gpt
I've tried all winter to cultivate repression. I don't know what it is you are trying to do over there in the laboratory. You asked me to do two things--not to ask you about it, and not to mention it to Karl. I haven't done either, but I want to tell you right now if you have any idea of giving up your own work I think it's time for your friends to inquire into your mental workings! The very fact you don't want Karl to know about it shows you know very well _he_ won't think it's right. Anything that relates to his work can be done by people who do that kind of work a great deal better than you can. Really, Ernestine, the thing is positively fanatical. And anyway, --this with the air of delivering the overpowering--
human
I don't think it is at all nice the way you are taking other men into your confidence and deceiving Karl.
gpt
Dear me--what laudable sentiment. I've always heard there was no one half so proper as the girl about to be married. Never mind, Georgia, --a little more seriously, a little as if it would not be hard to cry--
human
Karl will forgive me--some day.
gpt
But, Ernestine, I want you to work! Can't you see how awful it is for you not to--express yourself?
human
I am going to express myself,
gpt
After a while, liebchen, he would say.
human
I'll be more accustomed to things after a while. And meanwhile there's plenty of fresh air right here in our back yard.
gpt
But it isn't just getting the fresh air, she would protest,
human
--
gpt
Wait till spring comes, he would sometimes answer.
human
I'm going to get out more then.