He would not say that to
flatter her--he was far too self-opinionated and objective by nature.
He said it as he would say a piece of sculpture was remarkable, because
he knew it was so.
And it gratified her to hear it from him. Other people had such a
passion to make everything of one degree, of one pattern. In England it
was chic to be perfectly ordinary. And it was a relief to her to be
acknowledged extraordinary. Then she need not fret about the common
standards.
'You see,' she said, 'I have no money whatsoever.'
'Ach, money!' he cried, lifting his shoulders. 'When one is grown up,
money is lying about at one's service. It is only when one is young
that it is rare. Take no thought for money--that always lies to hand.'
'Does it?' she said, laughing.
'Always. The Gerald will give you a sum, if you ask him for it--'
She flushed deeply.
'I will ask anybody else,' she said, with some difficulty--'but not
him.'
Loerke looked closely at her.
'Good,' he said. 'Then let it be somebody else.
Pages:
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949