“I couldn’t when I came to read it. It was a silly letter.”
“Well, I’m not one to go back to the past, because it’s generally a waste of time, Medora. It would have been honester if you’d told me the truth. Your letter was pretty hot, certainly.”
“I hope he found it so.”
“He did, and unfortunately he’s kept it. If he’d been wiser than he is, he’d have burned it; instead of that he’s letting it burn him, if you understand me. From the look of the letter, I should say he’d read it a great many times and the result is that he’s still in a very bad frame of mind.”
“What frame of mind did you think he’d be in? We can’t all keep a hand on ourselves, like you.”
“I hoped that time enough had passed over him to steady him. But I can’t honestly say it has. He made some curious remarks. I thought once he was going to let himself go and fly at me. But I kept my eye on him and never raised my voice. There’s plenty of good qualities in him.”
“I’m glad you’re so pleased with him,” she said, growing hot again. “Naturally you think well of a man who’s used me so kindly!”
“No, I’m not much pleased with him. In fact, quite the reverse, Medora. There’s good in everybody—that’s all I mean. But he’s got no good will to us.”
“Thank God for that then!”
“You needn’t thank God in too much of a hurry. In a word, he’s going to take his own time about this business. He’s done nothing so far.”