Театр

           "WhothedevilisAviceCrichton?"

           "Oh,she’sayoungactressIknow.She’sasprettyasapicture."

           "He’sonlyasillykid.IsupposehethinkshecangetroundMichael.YouknowwhatMichaeliswithhislittlebits."

           "Hesayshecangetyoutodoanythinghewants.Hesaysyoujusteatoutofhishand."

           ItwasluckyforJuliathatshewasagoodactress.Forasecondherheartstoodstill.Howcouldhesayathinglikethat?Thefool.Theblastedfool.Butrecoveringherselfatonceshelaughedlightly.

           "Whatnonsense!Idon’tbelieveawordofit."

           "He’saverycommonplace,rathervulgarman.It’snotsurprisingifallthefussyou’vemadeofhimhasturnedhishead."

           Julia,smilinggood-naturedly,lookedatherwithingenuouseyes.

           "But,darling,youdon’tthinkhe’smylover,doyou?"

           "IfIdon’t,I’mtheonlypersonwhodoesn’t."

           "Anddoyou?"

           ForaminuteDollydidnotanswer.Theylookedatoneanothersteadily,theirheartswereblackwithhatred;butJuliastillsmiled.

           "Ifyougivemeyoursolemnwordofhonourthatheisn’t,ofcourseI’llbelieveyou."

           Juliadroppedhervoicetoalow,gravenote.Ithadatrueringofsincerity:

           "I’venevertoldyoualieyet,Dolly,andI’mtoooldtobeginnow.IgiveyoumysolemnwordofhonourthatTomhasneverbeenanythingmoretomethanjustafriend."

           "Youtakeagreatweightoffmymind."

           JuliaknewthatDollydidnotbelieveherandDollywasawarethatJuliaknewit.Shewenton.

           "Butinthatcase,foryourownsake,Juliadear,dobesensible.