"You put me in an embarrassing position," Farley said. "I think I had
better say what I have to say now. Better to have it out, before things
go any further."
"Before _what_ things go any further?" Phil asked, with a trace of
belligerence. "Of course, if you don't want me for dinner--"
"Wait!" Katherine said in distress. "This isn't.... But it should
be...." She looked from one to the other and smiled a tentative,
hopeful little smile. "We don't have to go on with this, do we ...
_now_?"
"What do you mean, 'now'?" Farley said, his face becoming red. "I think
it's high time I got this off my chest. Katherine, I don't believe in
letting things drift. I want this out in the open!"
(_Oh, but this wasn't the way things were to be! This is all
wrong--what can have happened?_--There was no answer.)
* * * * *
Phil's face was pale and he started for the door. "I guess I'd better
leave you two alone."
"No!" Farley said abruptly. "I want you here! I want you to hear this.
Well, Katherine?" He turned to her again.
"I ... I can't answer you," she said miserably.
"You mean you are in love with him, don't you?" Farley said, with a
kind of angry triumph. "All the time, behind my back, you--"
"Dry up, Farley!" Phil said, coming back from the door. "And stop
acting like a bully!"
"Why, you--"
The telephone rang, and Katherine picked it up.
"It's for you, Russ," she said, and handed it to him.
"Yes?" Farley snapped into it. "Put him on." He listened for a few
moments and his eyes traveled to Phil. "All right," he said. "When do
you want to come?--I see. Well, I'll arrange to have him here. Three
o'clock tomorrow, then. Right. Good-by." He hung up. "You were right in
one respect," he said to Phil. "That was a man from the Atomic Energy
Commission and he wants to have a look at what you're doing. He'll be
here tomorrow and I shall expect your full cooperation. Sorry, but it
can't be helped."
Phil looked at him steadily for a moment. "So that's your way of
getting back at me," he said. "Academic freedom means a lot to you! Of
all the cowardly, spineless, rotten--"
Farley's face was now dark red and he held up his hand. "That's enough
from you!"
"What the hell does he want to come nosing around here for?" Phil said.
"My research is purely theoretical--"
"You yourself suggested they might," Farley reminded him. "And don't
forget Lisa Meitner's work was theoretical, and look where it led!"
"Very cute!" Phil said. "In fact, Jesuitical! What I'm objecting to is
having you dump me in their laps! I know your real motive--it stands
out a mile!"
Farley's neck veins became noticeable, but he kept himself in control.
"You tend to overrate your position here."
"Ha!" Phil said. "You can't bear me in my position of the man your wife
loves!"
Farley's control went and he rushed at Phil and grabbed him by the
collar.
"_Stop_ it!" Katherine cried. "Stop it at once! Are you going to act
like a pair of apemen? I'm not in love with Phil--I like him very,
very much, but it's you I love, you ox!" She pushed and pulled, and
they came apart like a bread sandwich, and she got between them. "For
heaven's _sake_!"
"I'm sorry," Farley muttered, and looked ashamed of himself. "I wasn't
_dumping_ you into their laps, Kaufman--I had no choice. If I'd
objected, they'd have got just that much tougher."
"It's okay," Phil said dispiritedly. "I guess."
"Oh, forget the whole thing, you two," Katherine said. "Come on, well
be late for dinner." Taking their arms, she led them out onto the
campus.