Archie followed her, saying as he passed that he
hoped I shouldn't find it warm. I went on shifting the flower
pots. They were very heavy. I broke two, but I went on.
Presently Dolly put up her parasol and came out from the shade to
watch me. She stood there for a moment or two. Then, she said:
"Well, do you think you'd like it, Mr. Carter?"
"Wait till I've finished," said I, waving my hand.
Another ten minutes saw the end of my task. Panting and hot I
sought the shade, and flung myself onto my deck chair again. I
also lit a cigarette.
"I think they looked better on the other side, after all," said
Dolly meditatively.
"Of course you do," said I urbanely. "You needn't tell me that"
"Perhaps you'd like to move them back," she suggested.
"No," said I. "I've done enough to create the impression."
"And how did you like it?"
"It was," said I, "in its way a pleasant enough illusion." And I
shrugged my shoulders, and blew a ring of smoke.
To my very considerable gratification, Dolly's tone manifested
some annoyance as she asked:
"Why do you say, 'in its way'?"
"Because, in spite of the momentary pleasure I gained from
feeling myself a married man, I could not banish the idea that we
should not permanently suit one another.
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