human
I didn't know Mary had had any child at all,
gpt
This makes two, said the Fürstin, and held up a brace of fingers,
human
I didn't understand.
gpt
I wonder what you imagined.
human
I wonder what I did. I suppose I thought of Mary--just as I had left her--always.
gpt
Maundering about, she was saying,
human
Rachel's too good, I said, at the end of a pause and perceiving I had to say something,
gpt
No woman's too good for a man, said the Fürstin von Letzlingen with conviction.
human
It's what God made her for.
gpt
You know, I asked abruptly,
human
No,
gpt
I made love, I said,
human
Why not?
gpt
It was impossible.
human
Something, she said, and then,
gpt
Some vague report,
human
We were old playmates; we were children together. We have--something--that draws us to each other. She--she made a mistake in marrying. We were both very young and the situation was difficult. And then afterwards we were thrown together.... But you see that has made a great difference to my life; it's turned me off the rails on which men of my sort usually run. I've had to look to these other things.... They've become more to me than to most people if only because of that....
gpt
You mean these ideas of yours--learning as much as you can about the world, and then doing what you can to help other people to a better understanding.
human
Yes,
gpt
And that--will fill your life.
human
It ought to.
gpt
I suppose it ought. I suppose--you find--it does.
human
Don't you think it ought to fill my life?
gpt
I wondered if it did.
human
But why shouldn't it?
gpt
It's so--so cold.
human
One wants life more beautiful than that, she said.
gpt
One wants---- There are things one needs, things nearer one.