"Of course I mean their marriage!" Fleda hesitated again. "I haven't the
least idea."
"You didn't ask him?"
"Oh, how in the world can you fancy?" She spoke in a shocked tone.
"Fancy your putting a question so indelicate? _I_ should have put it--I
mean in your place; but I'm quite coarse, thank God!" Fleda felt
privately that she herself was coarse, or at any rate would presently
have to be; and Mrs. Gereth, with a purpose that struck the girl as
increasing, continued: "What, then, _was_ the day to be? Wasn't it just
one of these?"
"I'm sure I don't remember."
It was part of the great rupture and an effect of Mrs. Gereth's
character that up to this moment she had been completely and haughtily
indifferent to that detail. Now, however, she had a visible reason for
being clear about it. She bethought herself and she broke out--"Isn't
the day past?" Then, stopping short, she added: "Upon my word, they must
have put it off!" As Fleda made no answer to this she sharply went on:
"_Have_ they put it off?"
"I haven't the least idea," said the girl.
Her hostess was looking at her hard again. "Didn't he tell you--didn't
he say anything about it?"
Fleda, meanwhile, had had time to make her reflections, which were
moreover the continued throb of those that had occupied the interval
between Owen's departure and his mother's return. If she should now
repeat his words, this wouldn't at all play the game of her definite
vow; it would only play the game of her little gagged and blinded
desire. She could calculate well enough the effect of telling Mrs.
Gereth how she had had it from Owen's troubled lips that Mona was only
waiting for the restitution and would do nothing without it. The thing
was to obtain the restitution without imparting that knowledge. The only
way, also, not to impart it was not to tell any truth at all about it;
and the only way to meet this last condition was to reply to her
companion, as she presently did: "He told me nothing whatever: he didn't
touch on the subject."
"Not in any way?"
"Not in any way."
Mrs. Gereth watched Fleda and considered. "You haven't any idea if they
are waiting for the things?"
"How should I have? I'm not in their counsels."
"I dare say they are--or that Mona is." Mrs. Gereth reflected again; she
had a bright idea. "If I don't give in, I'll be hanged if she'll not
break off."
"She'll never, never break off!" said Fleda.
"Are you sure?"
"I can't be sure, but it's my belief."
"Derived from _him_?"