“‘You know what you’re driving at better than I do,’ I said. And then I said: ‘What’s it all about? What’s your game?’ And he said, as if I’d been a common swindler that he’d found out:
“‘What’s yours?’
“Then I felt myself get mad.
“‘You’re a mean little pest,’ I said, but between my teeth, and not so that any one but he could hear me. And ‘You’re an evil-minded little scalawag,’ I said. ‘You certainly don’t know me if you think I’ve done anything in this world to be ashamed of. Go ahead,’ I said; ‘do what you please. Don’t for one single instant think that I’m afraid of you or that you can do me any harm.’ And I left him standing there, with his grin, and flounced out. But what do you think of it, Gerald? Why should Charlie Hunt behave like that to me?”
“I could judge better if I knew what you said to him at the veglione.”
“It wasn’t very bad. It might provoke him for a minute 371to know that it was I who said it, but it oughtn’t to make him mad enough to bite. I went up to him, and I said close to his ear, in my good English:
“‘You amusing little match-maker,’ I said, ‘what do you hope to get from your dusky friend marrying that absardAmerican? How much do you know about her?’ I said. ‘Are you even sure she’s as rich as she seems?’ Then he said, polite but stiff:
“‘You have the advantage of me, madam, in knowing what you’re talking about. Pray go on with your tasteful pleasantries,’ he said; ‘I’m thinking I’ve heard your voice before.’ Upon which I shut my mouth and dusted down the opera-house on Italo’s arm. I was crazy that evening, I guess, with the crowd and excitement and all. When I get to training, I can’t resist the impulse; I don’t know where to stop. But that wasn’t enough to make him want to stick a knife in me, was it? It was only fun. It was true. He had seemed to be trying to manage me so’s I’d take a fancy to Landini, and I couldn’t for the life of me see what it mattered to him.”
“I tell Aurora,” came in Estelle, “that a little joke like that would rankle terribly in any but a real goodnatured man.”
“My dear Aurora,” said Gerald, excited and darkly flushed, “your little joke would not have had to contain a sting nearly as sharp to rouse against you such vanity as Hunt’s, unless, let me add, there were some counterweight of self-interest to keep him back. It is known that Charlie has only some parts and habits of a human being, not all. One almost, in pure justice, cannot blame him. But scorn him–oh, as for that!... He could be with you day after day, and take all you would give, and at the end 372of a year feel no tie; he could hear you slandered, and not take your defence; he could make a joke at your expense, if one came into his mind that he thought sufficiently witty, and never have a sense of meanness! He would have had nothing to overcome. He would only learn better if he perceived some loss of consideration, and consequent advantage to himself. That would make him more cautious, but not make him more aware. And you cannot call him wicked any more than upon any occasion you could call him good. But he’s damnable!”