“Before all the world.” She closed her eyes as if to shut out all other vision.
“I’m going to take you to Hawaii,” he whispered. “That’s the land of lovers—green lapping waters and purple hills and palm trees with music in them.”
“You’ve been there?”
[308]
] “Yes. Then to China and Japan—and if you like, India. We’ll make a year of it.”
She opened her eyes slowly and into them came a ray of amusement.
“You mustn’t take me too far away, for too long, or the fickle public will forget me.”
“They’re going to.”
“Going to?”
“Yes. I’m a jealous brute. You’ve got to belong to me exclusively.”
“Dick”—she pulled away then, groping dazedly for one silent second—“Dick—you don’t mean—you can’t mean you want me to give up the stage?”