human
Why then do you lure him to your feet? cried the Russian girl, in a sharp, pained voice.
gpt
If you love him not, why torture him, and me? I know he loves you--I know--I know--oh yes, I know.
human
You do not. His love for me--if it can be called so--is the mere passing fancy of a man for a woman who has been kind to him.
gpt
Too kind,
human
Not at all. But men are so conceited that they think a woman's smile means a woman's love. You have a golden heart, yet you throw it into the greedy hands of this selfish egotist----
gpt
He is not that,
human
Yes, he is, and much worse. Demetrius possesses the selfishness of a woman and the vanity of a man.
gpt
You reverse the proper order.
human
No, I don't. Men are far vainer than women, and women more selfish than men. I'm selfish myself, therefore I am happy. You are one of those self-tormenting, self-denying angels, who make men what they are--vain, greedy, conceited, lord-of-creation beasts. And I insult the beasts by such a comparison.
gpt
I thought you liked men.
human
I use them, and I detest them, retorted Lady Jim, speaking more plainly than was her custom.
gpt
There are good men--I don't deny that, for I know one at least --she was thinking of Lionel;
human
You love your husband, surely.
gpt
We all love our husbands--it's part of the Church Service to love them. Pah!--I am not here to talk of my marriage, but of yours. You know now that I don't care for Demetrius, and that I desired his help merely for my husband's sake.
human
Yes. I have wronged you
gpt
You poor child, how foolish you are! Why not forget Demetrius?
human
I cannot.
gpt
He is not worthy of you.
human
Is he not?--ah, you don't know him.
gpt
I know him much better than you do. However, if you insist upon putting him on an imaginary pedestal, there is no more to be said. Have you heard from him lately?
human
Last week I received a letter from Funchal, she said eagerly.
gpt
Yes; I wrote to him about the chances of his pardon----
human
Are there any chances?
gpt
Yes, yes; I assure you--yes. I have a cousin, high in favour with the Czar, who can procure an immediate pardon. But my father does not wish me to marry Demetrius----
human
Wise man,
gpt
And so there is some difficulty. Oh --she clasped her hands--
human
So he told me.
gpt
Ah, but did he say how he had parted from his family because of his advanced ideas? He gave up money and rank, and all that makes life pleasant, to labour among the poor peasants. Is that not noble?
human
So noble that I have difficulty in thinking M. Demetrius acted so.
gpt
But he did--he did. And my father is angered because of this self-sacrifice. If Constantine would only return to the rank of life in which he was born, my father would permit me to marry him, and then the pardon would speedily be procured. But I plead in vain, she murmured, with hanging head
human
He may, when he returns,
gpt
But when will that be? If he goes to Jamaica----
human
Why to Jamaica?
gpt
He wrote that the Duke of Pentland had asked him to go there, to see after your husband. And you say that----
human
Yes, yes; but this patient Garth, who----
gpt
But have you not heard?
human
Heard? I have heard nothing. I do not correspond with M. Demetrius, my dear. It is now April, and he has been at Funchal since January, trying to heal that poor man. Has he----?
gpt
No, said Mademoiselle Aksakoff, quickly.
human
The man is dead.
gpt
Garth dead?
human
Yes; so Demetrius wrote last week, and said he would go on to Jamaica at the Duke's request to see your husband. But you look quite ill.
gpt
I hate to hear of deaths,