“But a man must think of his wife and children, and, indeed, you are unjust. I have no fear of your disturbing my household. We should be only too glad to see you, only it happened, if you must know, that my wife was expecting Linda Brock. She uses her own name now.”
René gave a shout of laughter.
“But I’d like to see her. How is she?”
“Her mother died six months ago and left her a great deal of money, a fortune. We had no idea she was so rich. Linda wrote some plays, you know. She has bought the theater and presented it to the Players. I am one of the trustees. Thrigsby is very proud of the theater——
“It used to be music when I was young,” said René, “and the orchestra was always in debt.”
“Art,” said the Professor, “cannot be expected to pay for itself. We are running the theater to a certain extent in connection with the university——”
He had assumed the voice in which he lectured. René cut him short:
“I’d like to see Linda. Will you take me back with you.”
“I—er——”
“You needn’t thrust me on her. Just ask her if she’d like to see me, and come out and tell me: yes or no. After all, if it comes to that, we’re still married. I believe, by the brutal laws of the country, I could insist on seeing her whether she liked it or not. You might tell her that I have come into some money also.”