Театр

           Don’tgoaboutwiththisyoungmananymore.Drophim."

           "Oh,Icouldn’tdothat.Thatwouldbeanadmissionthatpeoplewererightinwhattheythought.Afterall,myconscienceisclear.Icanaffordtoholdmyheadhigh.IshoulddespisemyselfifIallowedmybehaviourtobeinfluencedbymaliciousgossip."

           Dollyslippedherfeetbackintohershoesandgettingherlipstickoutofherbagdidherlips.

           "Well,dear,you’reoldenoughtoknowyourownmind."

           Theypartedcoldly.

           ButoneortwoofDolly’sremarkshadbeensomewhatofashocktoJulia.Theyrankled.Itwasdisconcertingthatgossiphadsonearlyreachedthetruth.Butdiditmatter?Plentyofwomenhadloversandwhobothered?Andanactress.Nooneexpectedanactresstobeapatternofpropriety.

           "It’smydamnedvirtue.That’satthebottomofthetrouble."

           Shehadacquiredthereputationofaperfectlyvirtuouswoman,whomthetongueofscandalcouldnottouch,andnowitlookedasthoughherreputationwasaprisonthatshehadbuiltroundherself.Buttherewasworse.WhathadTommeantbysayingthatsheateoutofhishand?Thatdeeplyaffrontedher.Sillylittlefool.Howdarehe?Shedidn’tknowwhattodoaboutiteither.Shewouldhavelikedtotaxhimwithit.Whatwasthegood?Hewoulddenyit.Theonlythingwastosaynothing;ithadallgonetoofarnow,shemustaccepteverything.