“You promised,” she answered, with a slightly unsteady voice. “You promised—don’t.”
To remind a man of his promise when he wants to break it, frequently means the woman would not mind if he did, and if he insists she will give in. It betrays weakness. He put his arms round her and said nothing, but he gave no orders for the immediate furnishing of one large flat. Her experiment should be tried. He had no desire or intention of forcing her to give in nor of being master; just then she would have liked him to be master, but how can a man know these things?
They went back to her rooms for dinner. She put on a creamy gown trimmed with lace; he gave her some pale pink roses and fastened them on. He never forgot her flowers.
In the evening they sat in the big window and looked out at the moon—it rose, a big round shining moon. They were silent. At last she said:
“The stars are larger than the moon, but how faint beside it. The moon is nearer.”
“That is what one feels sometimes,” he answered. “One loves the stars, but the moon is nearer.”
“Yes, it is nearer. Would you feel so? Am I the moon or a star? Of what are you thinking?”
“Of you.”
“Of me. Think of something nice.”
“You are not nice. You are original, and that is never nice. How lonely I shall be to-night!”