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The Streets of Ascalon
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"Oh, entirely," he said. "I became an abject idiot."
She stood breathing more evenly now, the pretty colour coming and going in her cheeks. Considering him, looking alternately at his masked eyes and at his expressive lips where a kind of silent and infernal mirth still flickered, a sudden doubt assailed her. And presently, with a dainty shrug, she turned and glanced down through the gilt lattice toward the floor below.
"I suppose," she said, tauntingly, "you hope I'll believe that you refrained from kissing me out of some belated consideration for decency. But I know perfectly well that I perplexed you, and confused you and intimidated you."
"This is, of course, the true solution of my motives in not kissing you."
She turned toward him:
"What motive?"
"My motive for not kissing you. My only motive was consideration for you, and for the sacred conventions of Sainte Grundy."
"I believe," she said scornfully, "you are really trying to make me think that you could have done it, and didn't!"
"You are too clever to believe me a martyr to principle, madame!"
She looked at him, stamped her foot till the bangles clashed.
"Why didn't you kiss me, then? – if you wish to spoil my victory?"
"You yourself have told me why."
"Am I wrong? Could you – didn't I surprise you – in fact, paralyse you – with astonishment?"
He laughed delighted; and she stamped her ringing foot again.
"I see," she said; "I am supposed to be doubly in your debt, now. I'd rather you had kissed me and we were quits!"
"It isn't too late you know."
"It is too late. It's all over."
"Madame, I have fifty-nine other minutes in which to meet your kindly expressed wishes. Did you forget?"
"What!" she exclaimed, aghast.
"One hour less one minute is still coming to me."
"Am I – have I – is this ridiculous performance going to happen again?" she asked, appalled.
"Fifty-nine times," he laughed, doubling one spangled leg under the other and whirling on his toe till he resembled a kaleidoscopic teetotum. Then he drew his sword, cut right and left, slapped it back into its sheath, and bowed his wriggling bow, one hand over his heart.
"Don't look so troubled, madame," he said. "I release you from your debt. You need never pay me what you owe me."
Up went her small head, fiercely, under its flashing hair:
"Thank you. I pay my debts!" she said crisply.
"You decline to accept your release?"
"Yes, I do! – from you!"
"You'll see this thing through! – if it takes all winter?"
"Of course;" trying to smile, and not succeeding.
He touched her arm and pointed out across the hot, perfumed gulf to the gilded clock on high:
"You have seen it through! It is now one minute to midnight. We have been here exactly one hour, lacking a minute, since our bet was on… And I've wanted to kiss you all the while."
Confused, she looked at the clock under its elaborate azure and ormolu foliations, then turned toward him, still uncertain of her immunity.
"Do you mean that you have really used the hour as you saw fit?" she asked. "Have I done my part honestly? – Like a good sportsman? Have I really?"
He bowed, laughingly:
"I cheerfully concede it. You are a good sport."
"And – all that time – " she began – "all that time – "
"I had my chances – sixty of them."
"And didn't take them?"
"Only wanted to – but didn't."
"You think that I – "
"A woman never forgets a man who has kissed her. I took the rather hopeless chance that you might remember me without that. But it's a long shot. I expect that you'll forget me."
"Do you want me to remember you?" she asked, curiously.
"Yes. But you won't."
"How do you know?"
"I know – from the expression of your mouth, perhaps. You are too pretty, too popular to remember a poor Harlequin."
"But you never have seen my face? Have you?"
"No."
"Then why do you continually say that I am pretty?"
"I can divine what you must be."
"Then – how – why did you refrain from – " She laughed lightly, and looked up at him, mockingly. "Really, Harlequin, you are funny. Do you realise it?"
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Так получилось, что книга ко мне попала в тяжелый эмоциональный кризис и многое мне дала. Написано актуально, тут многих полезных вещей, никакого злоу...
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