THE PARTING OF THE WAY
Power kept his promise. The afternoon sun was still high in the sky
when he let loose his horse in the stable yard at Surprise and walked
across the stones to the house. He approached in view of the shadiest
verandah where the household had come together after lunch. In the
amplest chair lay Selwyn lost to all the ill humours of the heat; but
Mrs. Selwyn interrupted her reading to give him a searching glance, and
Neville shot up shaggy eyebrows and cried "Hello!" Maud came down the
steps. She wore a big hat as protection from the sun; but she looked up
to speak and showed Power the lines of care that twenty-four hours had
drawn upon her face.
"Come this way, Jim. It's shady up the creek, and there are too many
inside."
They passed together a little way up the bed of the creek, clambering
once and again over sharp faces of rock where fair pools of water rest
after the rains. They reached a spot where a sapling throws a broken
shade upon a shelf of stone. They sat down. The prospect is gentle here
as prospects are judged at Surprise. Below, stands the house peering
round the bank of the rise--above, the creek climbs up into the hills.
"Well, Jim?"
"Yes."
"Come, don't look so cut up. It isn't fair to me. I've spent all day
looking things in the face and you must help."
"I've come here as you asked. What is there to say?"
"Do you still feel the same about her?"
"Yes. It will always be the same."
"We have come to the end of things. Is that it?"
"It needn't be that. There is friendship left."
"Fall from first to second place? How dare you ask me that.... What
makes you like this? She has nothing more than her looks. She has no
education. She can have only a child's experience of life."
"It makes no difference."
"And where will you be when the glamour has gone?"
"It will be time to see when that happens."
"But they say she isn't even a good girl. A girl must be so weak to let
men do as they like with her."
"We have said enough."
"And what am I to do? Make the best of things I can? Take off my love
like an old coat and throw it away because it is out at the elbows?
Jim, you don't know what love is. That's why this thing has happened."
"Talking won't mend things."
"There's no more to say; is that what you mean? We have come to the
parting of the ways. I'm to understand that, am I? The house I built
has tumbled on top of me, and I am to get clear of the ruins as best
I can. In a little while this affair of yours will be over, and where
shall we both be? Can't you see what a priceless thing we are ready to
waste?"
"Of course I see it; but it makes no difference. I was a man a month
ago, able to take or let alone. Now ... I love the child. There's the
beginning and end of it."
"We had a hundred things to help us over the difficult bits of life and
now because you are tired I am asked to feel the same. That's where the
laugh comes in. I find I can't do it."
"What a cad you make me!"
"She doesn't love you. You told me that yesterday. How are you going to
get over that?"
"She may change."
"Have you thought what I have to face? 'There goes Maud Neville who
was found wanting and now takes second place to a girl whose lips are
plastered with the kisses of a dozen men.' Some day the words may not
seem much; just now, my friend, they have a harsh sound. How dare you
bring me to this?"
"Would you have us marry as things are?"
"No, I wouldn't. I must eat my humble pie. But as yet I cannot make
myself believe that we are at the end of things. It's not easy to speak
out the truth even to you. I ought to cut you for good. But I just
can't do it. Love takes a lot of killing. The world will think me a
girl of poor spirit; but better that than that this thing should come
to grief in haste. I must have time to think things out. I owe this to
you and to myself.... What are you looking at the sun for? Do you want
to get away?"
"I have to meet O'Neill at three o'clock."
"Meet him at three so as to be in time somewhere else later on--I
suppose that's it. Well, so be it."
"Are you coming to the stable?"
"No. I'm going to stay here a little while. Jim, this mustn't be our
good-bye. Before you go, promise me you won't quite forget us here.
Come when you can."
"Good-bye."
"Good-bye."