human
You can imagine I don't want this to go any further,
gpt
I--I don't think I'm there yet, he whispered.
human
Say it all over again, will you? Sonia's left you? She used to say she was going to, but that was only to tease you.
gpt
I'm afraid it's all grim earnest,
human
She's left you? O'Rane, she couldn't! She loved you so much! I--I often thought you didn't treat her properly, you were frightfully unsympathetic sometimes, but there was nothing you could do to force her to this!
gpt
Deal with realities, young man, he grunted.
human
The facts are as stated.
gpt
But where is she?
human
We don't know.
gpt
You don't know who she's with? His face became suddenly more hopeful.
human
You've no _proof_ that she's with anyone? She went away once before, remember.
gpt
I think I may say positively that she's with someone. She's not merely staying with friends. I'm afraid I thought it was you and I must beg you to forgive me.
human
You needn't have thought it was me, O'Rane,
gpt
No. But I only heard a lame man hopping away on one leg. And I was seeing red.
human
But you could both of you trust me! If there'd been a moment's danger, I'd never have seen Sonia again. I'm not the only lame man in London. You might have picked on Grayle before me, if she hadn't hated him so much.
gpt
I thought of you both, he said.
human
When I heard the man going short on one leg, I felt certain that it must be one of you.... It's extraordinary how quickly you think at a time like that. I remember wondering whether I should be equal to tackling Grayle, if it were him.... Then I knew it couldn't be, because he'd insulted Sonia in some restaurant, and they'd had a row. Besides, he was in France at the time. And so I decided that it must be you. I'm sorry. You couldn't expect me to behave quite--dispassionately, could you? I'm only glad it has been cleared up. I'm afraid you'll have to stay with me again till we've patched up last night's damage. You can understand that for Sonia's sake this mustn't be talked about. When people want to know where she is, I--I usually say she's staying away and I--don't--quite know--when she's coming back....