第272章

"Well--go to the filth where you belong! You were born for it." And he flung out of the room, went noisily down the stairs.She heard the front door's distant slam; it seemed to drop her into a chair.She sat there all crouched together until the clock on the mantel struck two.This roused her hastily to gather into her trunk such of her belongings as she had not already packed.She sent for a cab.The man of all work carried down the trunk and put it on the box.Dressed in a simple blue costume as if for traveling, she entered the cab and gave the order to drive to the Grand Central Station.

At the corner she changed the order and was presently entering the Beaux Arts restaurant where she had asked Freddie to meet her.He was there, smoking calmly and waiting.At sight of her he rose."You'll have lunch?" said he.

"No, thanks."

"A small bottle of champagne?"

"Yes--I'm rather tired."

He ordered the champagne."And," said he, "it'll be the real thing--which mighty few New Yorkers get even at the best places." When it came he sent the waiter away and filled the glasses himself.He touched the brim of his glass to the bottom of hers."To the new deal," said he.

She smiled and nodded, and emptied the glass.Suddenly it came to her why she felt so differently toward him.She saw the subtle, yet radical change that always transforms a man of force of character when his position in the world notably changes.This man before her, so slightly different in physical characteristics from the man she had fled, was wholly different in expression.

"When shall we sail?" asked he."Tomorrow?"

"First--there's the question of money," said she.

He was much amused."Still worrying about your independence.""No," replied she."I've been thinking it out, and I don't feel any anxiety about that.I've changed my scheme of life.

I'm going to be sensible and practice what life has taught me.

It seems there's only one way for a woman to get up.Through some man."Freddie nodded."By marriage or otherwise, but always through a man.""So I've discovered," continued she."So, I'm going to play the game.And I think I can win now.With the aid of what I'll learn and with the chances I'll have, I can keep my feeling of independence.You see, if you and I don't get on well together, I'll be able to look out for myself.

Something'll turn up."

"Or--_somebody_--eh?"

"Or somebody."

"That's candid."

"Don't you want me to be candid? But even if you don't, I've got to be.""Yes--truth--especially disagreeable truth--is your long suit," said he."Not that I'm kicking.I'm glad you went straight at the money question.We can settle it and never think of it again.And neither of us will be plotting to take advantage of the other, or fretting for fear the other is plotting.Sometimes I think nearly all the trouble in this world comes through failure to have a clear understanding about money matters."Susan nodded.Said she thoughtfully, "I guess that's why Icame--one of the main reasons.You are wonderfully sensible and decent about money.""And the other chap isn't?"

"Oh, yes--and no.He likes to make a woman feel dependent.

He thinks--but that doesn't matter.He's all right.""Now--for our understanding with each other," said Palmer.

"You can have whatever you want.The other day you said you wanted some sort of a salary.But if you've changed----""No--that's what I want."

"So much a year?"

"So much a week," replied she."I want to feel, and I want you to feel, that we can call it off at any time on seven days' notice.""But that isn't what I want," said he--and she, watching him closely if furtively, saw the strong lines deepen round his mouth.

She hesitated.She was seeing the old woman's dance hall, was hearing the piano as the hunchback played and the old horrors reeled about, making their palsy rhythmic.She was seeing this, yet she dared."Then you don't want me," said she, so quietly that he could not have suspected her agitation.Never had her habit of concealing her emotion been so useful to her.

He sat frowning at his glass--debating.Finally he said:

"I explained the other day what I was aiming for.Such an arrangement as you suggest wouldn't help.You see that?""It's all I can do--at present," replied she firmly.And she was now ready to stand or fall by that decision.She had always accepted the other previous terms--or whatever terms fate offered.Result--each time, disaster.She must make no more fatal blunders.This time, her own terms or not at all.