human
They were sent to me by Mr. Nigel Ennison, Annabel. How on earth does it concern you?
gpt
Concern me! she repeated fiercely.
human
You are not content then with stealing from me my name. You would steal from me then the only man I ever cared a snap of the fingers about. They are not your flowers. They are mine! They were sent to 'Alcide' not to you.
gpt
Annabel, she said,
human
He does not come here,
gpt
He spends hours of every day on the pavement below, Anna answered calmly.
human
I have been bearing this--for your sake. Shall I send him to Sir John?
gpt
It was your own fault, she exclaimed.
human
He would never have found you out if you had not personated me.
gpt
On the contrary, Anna whispered quietly,
human
You have not told me yet, Annabel said,
gpt
You must not forget, Anna said calmly,
human
You did not----
gpt
Wait, Annabel! When I arrived in London I went to live in the cheapest place I could find. I set myself to find employment. I offered myself as a clerk, as a milliner, as a shop girl. I would even have taken a place as waitress in a tea shop. I walked London till the soles of my shoes were worn through, and my toes were blistered. I ate only enough to keep body and soul together.
human
There was no need for such heroism, Annabel said coldly.
gpt
You had only to ask----
human
Do you think, Anna interrupted, with a note of passion trembling also in her tone,
gpt
Well!
human
He greeted me effusively. He offered me at once an engagement. I told him that I was not 'Alcide.' He only laughed. He had seen the announcement of your marriage in the papers, and he imagined that I simply wanted to remain unknown because of your husband's puritanism. I sang to him, and he was satisfied. I did not appear, I have never announced myself as 'Alcide.' It was the Press who forced the identity upon me.
gpt
They were my posters, Annabel said.
human
The ones Cariolus did for me.
gpt
The posters at least, Anna answered quietly,
human
I have some claim to. You know very well that you took from my easel David Courtlaw's study of me, and sent it to Cariolus. You denied it at the time--but unfortunately I have proof. Mr. Courtlaw found the study in Cariolus' studio.
gpt
What did it matter? she cried.
human
We are, or rather we were, so much alike then that the portrait of either of us would have done for the other. It saved me the bother of being studied.
gpt
It convinced Mr. Earles that I was 'Alcide,'
human
We will convince him now to the contrary,
gpt
What do you mean?
human
It means that I have had enough of this slavery, she declared.
gpt
My husband and all his friends are fools, and the life they lead is impossible for me. It takes too many years to climb even a step in the social ladder. I've had enough of it. I want my freedom.
human
You mean to say, Anna said slowly,
gpt
Yes.
human
You are willing to give up your position, your beautiful houses, your carriages and milliner's accounts to come back to Bohemianism?
gpt
Why not? Annabel declared.
human
I am sick of it. It is dull--deadly dull.
gpt
And what about this man--Mr. Montague Hill?
human
You have succeeded a little too well in your personation, she said bitterly,
gpt
You propose, then, she remarked,
human
Anna, she moaned,
gpt
I am a jealous, ungrateful woman. But oh, how weary I am! I know. If only--Anna, tell me, she broke off suddenly,
human
He spoke to me, thinking that I was you, Anna answered.
gpt
I liked him, and I never undeceived him.
human
And he sat at my table, Annabel said bitterly,
gpt
You must remember, she said,
human
For the others, Annabel said tearfully,