At first, you know, I stuffed in
everything I could lay my hands on--there was such a big void to fill. And
after all I haven't filled it. I felt that the moment I saw you. (_A
pause_.) I'm talking stupidly.
_Isabel_. It would be odious if you were eloquent.
_Oberville_. What do you mean?
_Isabel_. That's a question you never used to ask me.
_Oberville_. Be merciful. Remember how little practise I've had lately.
_Isabel_. In what?
_Oberville_. Never mind! (_He rises and walks away; then comes back and
stands in front of her_.) What a fool I was to give you up!
_Isabel_. Oh, don't say that! I've lived on it!
_Oberville_. On my letting you go?
_Isabel_. On your letting everything go--but the right.
_Oberville_. Oh, hang the right! What is truth? We had the right to be
happy!
_Isabel (with rising emotion)_. I used to think so sometimes.
_Oberville_. Did you? Triple fool that I was!
_Isabel_. But you showed me--
_Oberville_. Why, good God, we belonged to each other--and I let you go!
It's fabulous. I've fought for things since that weren't worth a crooked
sixpence; fought as well as other men. And you--you--I lost you because I
couldn't face a scene! Hang it, suppose there'd been a dozen scenes--I
might have survived them. Men have been known to. They're not necessarily
fatal.
_Isabel_. A scene?
_Oberville_. It's a form of fear that women don't understand. How you must
have despised me!
_Isabel_.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145