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A GROTESQUE TRAGEDY 123
She looked about with her eyeless sockets and found a piece of fibrous grass, with which she proceeded to bind together the adjoining parts that had formed the knee. When she had done, he gave one or two carefully tentative stamps.
' You used to stamp rather differently, my lord!' she said, as she rose from her knees.
' Eh? what!—Now I look at you again, it seems to me I used to hate you!—Eh ? '
' Naturally, my lord ! You hated a good many people !—your wife, of course, among the rest!'
I Ah, I begin, I be-gin----- But—I must have been
a long time somewhere !—I really forget !—There ! your damned, miserable bit of grass is breaking !—We used to get on pretty well together—eh ? '
' Not that I remember, my lord. The only happy moments I had in your company were scattered over the first week of our marriage.'
'Was that the way of it? Ha! ha!—Well, it's over now, thank goodness !'
'I wish I could believe it! Why were we sitting there in that carriage together? It wakes apprehension !'
' I think we were divorced, my lady !'
' Hardly enough : we are still together ! !
1A sad truth, but capable of remedy : the forest seems of some extent!'
'I doubt! I doubt!'
'1 am sorry I cannot think of a compliment to pay you—without lying, that is. To judge by your figure and complexion you have lived hard since I saw you last! I cannot surely be quite so naked as your ladyship !—I beg your pardon, madam! I trust you wrill |
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