'I will ask Mr. Durance.'
'Do, my darling.'
'Victor, you did not tell me of Dartrey's wife.'
'There again! They all get released! Yes, Dartrey! Dartrey has his luck too.'
She closed her eyes, with the desire to be asleep.
'You should have told me, dear.'
'Well, my love! Well—poor Dartrey! I fancy I hadn't a confirmation of the news. I remember a horrible fit of envy on hearing the hint: not much more than a hint: serious illness, was it?—or expected event. Hardly worth while to trouble my dear soul, till certain. Anything about wives, forces me to think of myself—my better self!'
'I had to hear of it first from Mrs. Blathenoy.'
'You've heard of duels in dark rooms:—that was the case between
Blathenoy and me last night for an hour.'
She feigned somnolent fatigue over her feverish weariness of heart. He kissed her on the forehead.