The Common Law
t. And when he realised that it was disinclination, it appalled him. Something-he didn't understand what-had suddenly lef
For the first time in all his life the blank canvas of an u
. He continued it mentally, at intervals; but for
ome one delicious morning-"it's confoundedly odd that I should turn lazy in my old
gently. "No soil is deep e
rs d
nlight, frying everything to an iridescent omelette." He shrugged, laughed: "I tu
ed Querida, and he followed; and away they sped over the beautiful rolling country, where handsome cattle tried to behave like genuine Troyon's, and silvery sheep attempted to imitat
e a week-end party?
lephoned me to fill in. I f
h delightful enthusiasm. "That
a rage you've become and what a furor you've arous
ligence in his dark gaze; and und
xpression, is damn nice of you, Neville. But yo
eyes clear in their searching inquiry. Then he laug
cheeks had red
ble with my work, anyway? Is it
ot pretend to
er, Neville. And you know it
m going
o. God knows my work l
at one essential which
For me-your Byzantine canvas-ther
ste
aloofness-even a self-denial-" He laughed again: "I deny myself no
he landscape speed away on eithe
rivate abomination. Oh, the good world dearly loves to rub elbows with a talented sinner and patronise him and sentimentalise over him-one whose miracles don't hurt their ey
of 'em was to subordinate everything in life to the enjoyment of a single pleasur
one favourite dish. For a day you could stand it
my time painting-if I
t everything. It makes me paint better to talk to a prett
aid Neville,
I adore. And," tapping his carefully pinned lilac tie-"inside of me I know that every pl
," repeated
by hook or by crook, and at any cost. That is the main idea, Neville-my main idea-like the luscious agglomeration of juic
esently he pointed
uerida with enthusiasm, interested and
house. Beyond is El Naúar, Ca
eople in white flannels had gathered after breakfast. A slender woman, small of bone and
ily," sai
nfeigned approval, turned and presented him to the others-Miss Aulne, Miss Swift, Miss Annan, a Mr. Cameron, and, a moment later, to her husban
ssion which bored nob
around which it eddied, Neville, who had seated himself on
ow goes
, but in the same low tone. "Mother and father
ft House to see them as often as I
you want t
I'd li
nursery where a normal and in nowise extraordinary specimen of infancy
rmured Neville, venturi
lence of pride unutterable. After a little while she said: "I've got to fe
n his way to the terrace, nodding to familiar faces among the servants, stopping to inspe
innocence about it that is actual
tephanie Swift c
hot for Bridge-except Gordon Collis-and he is going t
ooked at
going to sit here all hunched up aroun
aint pretty models, and when the week end comes you're in fine shape to caper and cut up didoes. But we business men are too tired to go
her idea of what her brother Harry was doing for a living; but she w
ight, Mr. Cameron. It's only bluff with, us; we
r business puts it all over us. Nobody would have to drive me to business
rt out the jokers from the new packs and, with a skilful flip,
pretty models clad in ballet skirts-when they wear anything? Is it all one mad, joyous melange of high-brow conversation
"Harry never has anybody interesting in t
some photographs of a ve
el. What is her name,
always rav
her Valerie
West, isn't it? Is it, Loui
nodded
a pack for cutting. "Perhaps she'd like to
Do you know her, too, M
ln
most engaging, most amiable and culti
mes educated?" asked
rawing-room in New York. It doesn't always require the
ction," observed Alice Annan.
h. I admit that. Now and then such a comet passes across our
inner as all that," bega
meet her im
ut of it," said Ali
tudio teas would be far more interesting if you'd have a girl
y satisfied to look at their precious pictures, and listen to their art patter. I've told Harry that what we want is to see something of
he's as much of a win
on, 'I want to meet
ed Stephanie
phers; some few painters may behave in the same way to their models. I fan
winked at my stenographer-never! never! Will
ollis, who had come up behind her brother and Stephanie Swift and stood, a
. "I'd like to meet a really nice girl who is courage
ou?" said Neville. "They don't
be romant
you. It's drudgery-a
ce full of romance. Don't undeceive me, Louis. And I think you
s sister. "I'd like
ell that oil and water don't mi
ooth, insinuating stuff. And his beautiful Valerie is the
ands from Stephanie's and
a to meet her, L
ver seen
sensitive girl as a museum
ow how to behave toward
that isn't the question. You want to see her out of curiosity. You wouldn't make a friend of her-or even an acquaintanc
ed Stephanie, passing her arm through Lily's: "Shall we reveal to
wardly exasperated. "She's as orna
three odd in spades. "Oh, don't talk to me, Louis! You're a gay bunch all right!-
swung her tennis bat, tossed a ball into the suns
ntinued her swift, graceful pace, white serge skirts swinging above her ankles, b
w you where Gordon's sho
e was dressed he came out of the room and joined his sister, who
he good taste of taking that mo
good taste," he
t like an angel,"
thing queer about it, you don't supp
ed there was a
manded, impatiently
her does anybody in your immediate family. I was merely questioni
ircumst
looked at
phanie.... An understanding of years, which, in h
nt's steady thinking. "If that is the way that S
wha
came an undergraduate romance-and h
ou
ha
ou care
er amount to-in the sentimental-ever-after line. Infant sweethearts almost never marry. She has no more idea of it than have I. We are fond of each other;
l faithless wretches-your incon
rl I liked better than Stephanie. I'm not likely t
sha
continue in a state of mind over which your will has no control. It's never an honest promise; it can be only an honest hope. Love comes and goes and no man can stay it, and no man is its p
what in the world are you lecturing about? W
, caught her hand
me because I never before took the trouble to consider it. But it's true, even if it is trite
upperesque truism
when I've never yet evolved anything better?... Li
, I
n't. You th
the sweetest, finest, most
he isn't that, and I'm not, either. For the love of Mike, Lily, l
rmless to ca
n't call it
o you c
footing. She's perfectly unembarrassed abou
o kiss
ons happen accidentally to-suggest-some sli
nice girl is going to let a man paw her if
s a plain matter of fact you can't tell what anybody nice is going to do under theoretical circums
u seem to be develop
oing to be dishonest with myself; that's one of the streaks I've developed. You ask me if I love Stephanie enough to marry her, and I say I
s disgu
environment that chooses for him the one he marries. There are myriads of others in the world with whom, under proper circumstances and environment, he'd have been just as happy-often happier. Choice is a mystery, constancy a gamble, discontent
rribly disapp
ly understood that I couldn't marry Stephanie. When I thought of it at all it seemed a v
Alice, if you're going t
it my business to see that Stephanie understan
eartily that his sister, exasperated, turne
batting the balls across the net with Cameron, who, being d
g the panties of his brother-in-law!" He fell into an admiring attitude and contem
"Honest, Stephanie, your young man has me in t
rt," said Neville, h
ffectation of feminine indignation. And presently the tennis balls began
always been so; at the traps she could break as many clay birds as he could; she rode as well, drove as well; the
ets were even; it wa
flushed, smiling, came around to his side of
Or do I never improve? It's curious, i
him with that quick, buoyant step so characteristic of a spirit ever
luncheon. Thank you, Louis; I've had a splendid game-" She stretched out
as on and Cameron garrulous, and Querida his own gentle, expressive, fascinating s
sister: "There's a train at midni
hy
o be in t
hy
light is
d stopped paint
s one thing I keep on with,
t is
hesitated-"that Is, it may be
tell me wh
t's a portra
hom,
nobody y
rtrait of V
said, ca
rlight his shadowy face was not
just to continu
interest
she said, in
lly," he ret
I suspect you are beginni
laughed, exasperated; "what i
rl to the St. Regis.
ls do you suppose I've t
at him. "Your reputation for
ctly right. That sort of t
es it appeal
nderstand that this girl
nd. And that is
isely like taking any
f you mean to decorate-
at one anoth
Valerie is not your sister's s
tronised-too inexperienced in the things of your world-too ignorant of petty conventions and for
scornful indictment a
f it. There are other worlds. The one I now inhabit is more interesting to me. It's p
any choice in
eep out of the various unsafe planets where elec
better planet than the one you say she
you so significant about a girl you
out her, and his sister Alice is scared to death. Mr. Ogilvy, Mr. Burleson, Clive Gail, dozens of men I know are quite mad about her.... If it was she whom you used as model for the figures in the Byzantine decorations, she is divine-the loveliest creature to look a
quen
Regis affair
But, as for my being
el
moment, then, look
uch I do like her-how pleasant it is to be with a girl who is a
your own set who conf
ent and conventional traditions
ou
her caste? Valerie West is a law unto herself-a law as sweet and good and excellent and as inflexible as any law made by men to restrain women's liberty, arouse them to unhappy self-consciousness and infect them with suspicion. Every one of you are the terrified slaves of custom, and you know it. M
o him and placed her
punctuate her words. '"If you marry a girl you love you can have all the r
said, laughing, "I
sed customs of a perfectly pleasant and respectable world? Don't answer me! You'll make me very unhappy....
en't a string tied to m
I go or remain. You're
tand eac
derstands you" said h
t was not to find Stephanie, for whom he started to look-and, on the way, glanced at his watch, determine
aw Gordon playing with Heinz, the dog-named Heinz because of the celebrated "57 varieties" of dog in his pedigree-saw Miss Aulne at solit
are my
ou, de
ve in a
l in a
as a dark figure, seated on the vera
nder-just wild to hug him; but he's asleep, and his nurse glared at me. So I thought I'd com
nt upon whom you had designs," he added, "I'm neither asleep nor
rnal transports to you," she said, serenely, "though,
I need moral
by
wh
uis. And-I didn't say you
ilent, head lifted,
the midnight," he
e exclaimed, with h
thing I have to a
or
with my work
im, and remained for a mo
rk going, anyw
gainst a blank wall. It isn't easy to explain
nfidence? H
he said a lit
said, calmly. "You take it as a child takes teething-wi
there's more-a self-distrust amounting to self-disgust
-dozens o
rvous gesture-"always before us poor twentieth-century men looms the
"'I know it i
ng behind him," she Said, gai
n, then his head fell again slowly,
re you always
ppose." His discontente
learn to enjo
know it when we dare to think clearly. It is better not to think too clearly-better to go on and pretend to expect attainment....
't y
p; and then they go crazy," he added, and laughed and laid his hand lightly and unthinkingly over hers
in myriads in the June sky. A big meteor fell,
at time it i
miss your tra
be too late. He couldn't awake her just for the pleasure of talking to her. Besides, he was sure to see her in the morning when
a moment." He rose, and her fingers dropp
are very faithful friends. I'll be we
g of her words as he called up "long distance" and waited. Presently Central ca
it is yo
ho
r voice. But which is i
ill
" he replie
od-like one? Or the conventional Mr. Neville? O
sense, Valerie. W
pt gentleman called Loui
ne in yo
dn't get into it unless one
ld! What are
promise no
, I
ading the nine
uty, isn't
in it appeals most thrillingly to me-the wis
in your room all alone this beautiful starry
e you doing?
yn, my sis
ly sweet of you to think
t call you up to say good night. You see my train doesn't get
m perfectly willing
would be t
sturb my peace of mind." He heard her laughing at the
you up at one o'clock
. I may
I'll make them ri
lways know, about five minutes befor
le thing! You've
's a vague feeling-a-I don't know.... And oh, Louis, it is
te to be when
called me up and asked me to go to Manhattan Beach, but s
ve
all
admit I've
all
aven I were in town now.
wish so
it the
god for a moment and come floatin
ll I
ase
ike best. And anyway I'll ca
d ni
girl waiting for h
altered expression, "you certai
t have perplexed him or worried him to account for if he had tried to analyse them. But he didn't; he was merely consciou
ectly well that I think-always have thought-that th
t her pulses qu
orough as it has always been-a warm, cordial intimacy which leaves us perfectly unembarrassed
d her blue eye
hat it was silly of her to suspect anything sentimental in our comradeship; that whenever the real
e-w
ste your monogra
Eyes and lips and voice were steady; b
enjoy each other's society they want to marry each other. All married women are that way.
kissed her pret
and people are selfish when happy; they don't set up a
ly horrid of you. Don't
rried women are happy; but they give up a lot. And sometimes it slightly irritates them to remember it when they see the unmarried innoce
nd abandoned to him. And when her mirth had passed a slight
ng and impersonal tenderness-not conscious of the source of all this happy, dem
ights of the motor lit up the drive. "I've h
ouis. There is no man
to," he said, warmly, scarcel
in to take leave of Lily and Gordon and their gue
grant darkness. But with him, time lagged; even the train craw
s though he would never get to his studio and to the telephone;
you'd be brute e
aid I migh
from which she expects a man to infer,
, Valerie? I'm
rry I'll retir
ng you u
think I'd better listen to yo
u doing when
t I can't. And if I tell the truth I've g
not waitin
swer! Anyway you didn'
o you
to appear in a
ry," he explained, "and I was obliged to take t
ow
s,
in my night-dress talking to an e
you reading
know, I was rea
hear her
you'd spent the day," he began
m not under
he
ning to believe that it's a sort of monstrous vanity that incites you to such questions. And I'
did yo
d at Woodmanston with a perfectl
as the
am
d Neville
she exclaimed. "I wish I could tell you that
t believe
ven if I had done it," she said,
to retire.
ight, V
ou
ha
en-cloud machiner
o have slip
nded it and that-perhaps-I had b
anted to float thro
arm me,
e gods never annou
p in a dinner gown. When one receives a
mistaking her in
take their chances," he s
rful
won't ke
ough to dismiss me before I have
could stay here all ni
That's a t
u, Val
up the receiver, I think.... Good night, Kelly, dear.... Good night, Louis. à demain!-non-p
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