human
What a revengeful woman I am, punishing him after all these years,
gpt
I think I deserve her trust,
human
Robert, wrote Ariadne,
gpt
I am homesick for India.
human
Margaret, my dear, how delightful.
gpt
Is it?
human
But of course.
gpt
I always wonder, she murmured,
human
How depressing you are. Looking for mislaid intimacy, do you mean?
gpt
I suppose so.
human
When I saw you I simply felt--Margaret, thank God!
gpt
Matthew, you old humbug.
human
And for you who specialise in intimacy and the unexpected, it is simply disgraceful.
gpt
But I don't.
human
You used to.
gpt
Yes.
human
Are you a reformed character?
gpt
A reformed experimentalist.
human
I don't believe it.
gpt
Matthew, after all I _am_ glad to see you.
human
Then let us take a taxi and drive round the Bois.
gpt
Very well.
human
You're not reformed at all. If you were, you would say, 'I've got to try on,' or, 'there are so many things I must do before lunch,' or 'I am only in Paris for such a short time.'
gpt
They're all true.
human
Of course--that sort of thing is always true. The point is, is it relevant?
gpt
Talking of specialists. Do you still specialise in the irrelevant?
human
I have never understood what that word meant when applied to my activities. I have still kept my sense of proportion, if that is what you are driving at?
gpt
And Virginia?
human
Is still Virginia.
gpt
And you love her?
human
Very often.
gpt
Not all the time?
human
Certainly not. How then should I have my opportunities of discovering that I loved her?
gpt
Does she like your method?
human
I wonder. Sometimes it gets on her nerves.
gpt
Poor Virginia.
human
It is ridiculous to pity Virginia. Every one adores her and she meddles about in people's lives to her heart's content.
gpt
I always pity women who care for charming men.
human
Why--because charming men are fickle?
gpt
No, because they are vulnerable.
human
Nonsense.
gpt
Charm is the dragon's blood.
human
But the leaf always falls somewhere.
gpt
And the weak spot is vanity--which is no use to one at all.
human
By the way, how is Michael, talking of charming men. Or, were we talking about them?
gpt
I suppose so.
human
Margaret, I don't like Michael.
gpt
Why not?
human
He is too complete.
gpt
Do you usually tell women that you don't like their husbands?
human
No, they usually tell it to me.
gpt
Is that what you suggest that I am doing?
human
Margaret, please. You know I didn't mean that. It was just an idiotic jeu de mots.
gpt
Matthew, be careful; if you are serious you will turn my head.
human
I would love to turn your head.
gpt
Why is it that you always make me indiscreet?
human
I suppose that I inspire people with the happy illusion that I am not going to take what they say seriously.
gpt
I suppose that is it.
human
By the way, what was India like?
gpt
Do you want to know?
human
Of course not.
gpt
I stayed with Ariadne.
human
Is she happy?
gpt
Radiant.
human
Loving pomp?
gpt
Loving Robert.
human
Dear me.
gpt
Robert is the most wonderful man in the world.
human
Well, he wanted to marry you; why didn't you marry him?
gpt
I thought his pedestal such a precarious foothold in life.
human
If Ariadne can balance on it for a moment, it must be pretty firm.
gpt
It is a lovely pedestal. You can see for miles from it, and it is as comfortable as an armchair.
human
Ariadne always had a rare eye for a cushion.
gpt
Ariadne is a perfect wife.
human
Margaret, it is absolutely essential that I should see you once every twenty-four hours for the rest of my life. You will, therefore, not think me too matter-of-fact if I ask you your immediate plans?
gpt
I am staying here three more days.
human
Damn--sixteen hours gone already, I am off to Deauville.
gpt
Then I am going back to London where it will all begin again.
human
I shall be there.
gpt
How grand it sounds to be a melodrama.
human
Margaret, do you know that I love you a great deal?
gpt
I know that you are a great flirt.
human
Of course. That makes my real love so very exceptional and precious.
gpt
Does Virginia know that?
human
Virginia almost understands everything, but of course she can't afford to admit it, or one would behave too impossibly.
gpt
Matthew, may I tell you something very serious?
human
Yes, if you don't expect me to profit by it.
gpt
I used to understand almost everything, and I went on stretching and stretching till it broke, and now I understand nothing.
human
Perhaps you are right, he twinkled at her,
gpt
Are you trying to make me unhappy?
human
Margaret, dearest, I might even be serious if I thought that it would make you happy.
gpt
Good heavens, it's one, and I am lunching at one.
human
Margaret, promise never to mislay our intimacy again.
gpt
I promise.
human
Monsieur a fait dire que c'était un bouquet pour Madame.
gpt
For Margaret who--in spite of everything, because of everything--understands everything.
human
Matthew, she wrote,
gpt
Poor Virginia!
human
I love you so.
gpt
What is the good of my turning away when every bit of him bites into my consciousness?