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The Débutante
Aminutelater,ashesatanddangledhisfeetontheedge,aformshotbyhim;Rosalind,herarmsspreadinabeautifulswandive,hadsailedthroughtheairintotheclearwater.
"OfcourseIhadtogo,afterthat—andInearlykilledmyself.IthoughtIwasprettygoodtoeventryit.Nobodyelseinthepartytriedit.Well,afterwardRosalindhadthenervetoaskmewhyIstoopedoverwhenIdove.’Itdidn’tmakeitanyeasier,’shesaid,’itjusttookallthecourageoutofit.’Iaskyou,whatcanamandowithagirllikethat?Unnecessary,Icallit."
GillespiefailedtounderstandwhyAmorywassmilingdelightedlyallthroughlunch.Hethoughtperhapshewasoneofthesehollowoptimists.
FIVEWEEKSLATER
AgainthelibraryoftheConnagehouse.ROSALINDisalone,sittingontheloungestaringverymoodilyandunhappilyatnothing.Shehaschangedperceptibly—sheisatriflethinnerforonething;thelightinhereyesisnotsobright;shelookseasilyayearolder.
Hermothercomesin,muffledinanopera-cloak.ShetakesinROSALINDwithanervousglance.
MRS.CONNAGE:Whoiscomingto-night?
(ROSALINDfailstohearher,atleasttakesnonotice.)
MRS.CONNAGE:AleciscominguptotakemetothisBarrieplay,"Ettu,Brutus."(Sheperceivesthatsheistalkingtoherself.)Rosalind!Iaskedyouwhoiscomingto-night?
ROSALIND:(Starting)Oh—what—oh—Amory—
MRS.CONNAGE:(Sarcastically)YouhavesomanyadmirerslatelythatIcouldn’timaginewhichone.(ROSALINDdoesn’tanswer.