human
I've got to have a pretty woman, Henry, quoth the lawyer to his friend, while the moon blushed behind a cloud.
gpt
She must have beauty above everything, and after that good manners, and after that good blood.
human
Tom, let me tell you something, I don't care! I used to think I'd be pickey and choosey. But I know my own heart. I don't care! I'm the kind of fellow, I guess, who just gets it bad and comes down all broken out with it.
gpt
Some fellows are that way, Henry, assented Van Dorn,
human
he stared brazenly at the moon and in the cloud that whisked by he saw a score of fancies of other women whose faces had shone there, and had passed. He went on:
gpt
Oh, she could hold me--she could hold me--I think!
human
Hold me? Hold me? he cried.
gpt
Why, Tom, though I'd fall into hell myself a thousand times--she couldn't lose me! I'd still--still, he faltered,
human
I'd still-- He did not finish, but sat down and putting his hand on the arm of his friend's chair, he bent forward, smiled into the handsome young face in the moonlight and said:
gpt
Well--you know the kind of a fool I am, Tom--now!
human
That's what you say, Henry--that's what you say now. Van Dorn turned and looked at his friend.
gpt
You're sticking it out all right, Henry--against the rum fiend--I presume? When does your sentence expire?
human
Next October,
gpt
Going to make it then?
human
That's the understanding,
gpt
And you say you've got it bad, laughed Van Dorn.
human
And yet--say, Henry--why didn't you do better with the jury this afternoon in the Yengst case? Doesn't it--I mean that tremendous case you have on with the Duchess of Müller--doesn't it put an edge on you? What was the matter with you to-day?
gpt
It's different with me. I just couldn't help feeling that if I was worth any woman's giving herself--was worth anything as a man, I'd want to be dead square with that Yengst creature--and I got to thinking, maybe in his place, drunk and hungry--well, I just couldn't, Tom--because--because of--well, I wanted her to marry a human being first--not a county attorney!
human
You're a damn fool! retorted Van Dorn.
gpt
Do you think you'll succeed in this world on that basis! I tell you if I was in love with a woman I'd want to take that Yengst case and lay it before her as a trophy I'd won--lay it before her like a dog!
human
I suppose, Tom, I'd like to lay it before her--like a man!
gpt
Hell's delight!