“Something,” she said. “You’re a dear!”
The word chilled Wilfred. He hastened past it. “But not content?” he asked.
“Happiness seems to me to leave a bad taste in the mouth,” said Elaine, affecting lightness.
An exclamation of dismay was forced from Wilfred. “Oh!” Obscurely he had felt that Elaine was unhappy; but this forced it on his consciousness. He was thrown into confusion. He could scarcely conceive the possibility of pitying the glorious Elaine. She suffering too—but not for him! Still . . . fellows in pain! Compassion welled up in his breast. Compassion is most due to the strong, he felt.
“That’s just a phase,” he said quickly. “You knew the feeling of ridiculous happiness when you were a child.”
“Oh yes,” she said, “and later than that. That feeling is natural to me.”
“It will come back.”
“I wonder!”
“There’s a cloud over your sun at the moment; that’s all.”
“What do you mean?” she asked with a hard look, jealous of her secret.