human
At last! he sighed when he had finally manoeuvered her into the conservatory to admire orchids.
gpt
I began to think this was going to be another wasted hour, like my ghastly experience of the monastic life.--Do you realize, my dear, that I am entitled to a little praise and comforting on your part?
human
Just why?
gpt
Why? Why, because of the discretion, the magnanimity, in fact the utter damn-fool quixotism of my late conduct! At Longmeadow, you know. Leaving you--when I might have stayed!
human
That makes twice, he murmured, leaning over her,
gpt
In just about five minutes, she smiled, glancing at her wristwatch.
human
I've ordered my taxi for ten o'clock.
gpt
Don't pretend to be so cool and indifferent, you witch! I know you better than that. You--cool and indifferent! Have I forgotten that night under the beech-tree? Have you?
human
No! I've not forgotten that. Nor afterwards.
gpt
Afterwards?
human
Will you be good enough to tell me in plain language what was your idea in running away?
gpt
Why, Beautiful, what else as a man of honor could I do? A thing like that doesn't stand still, you know! The flare dies out--or it goes further. Our flare would not have died out.
human
And as 'a man of honor' it never occurred to you that we might preserve our flare, as it were, in marriage?
gpt
Oh, yes, it did! That temptation, too, I had to fight. For you see, my dear, I don't believe in marriage. I've seen too much of it (vicariously). Believe me, it preserves no flares! It quenches them. The thing's as fatal as death--though not, thank God, as inevitable! I will not put a relation I value to a test it will not bear, he explained, evidently in earnest.
human
What!--tie a creature of spirit and fire like yourself to the duty of forever loving one man, obeying one man, giving yourself into his hands to break at his leisure? Can you think of any surer way of killing love than to make a duty of it? 'Duty'--the most hideous, cold, Puritanical word in our hideous, cold, Puritanical language! The French put it better. _Devoir_ suggests something that is by no means cold. Therefore, dearest girl --he kissed her hands--
gpt
(Joan winced.)
human
As it is--
gpt
Well? she prompted, veiling her eyes.
human
As it is--Eduard?