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Angela turned to meet the conqueror alone. The boy by the pool had curled up
and gone to sleep while hetalked. Anthony spent about half his time inParis and
the rest at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It was for him more than for her that
Anthony had beenpleading, Angela thought.
He was coming over to her now
bringing the child. And it is the great dramatic momentof your life that
passes!
He spent long mornings there playing with the boy in the garden. He
thought so as he strode into the little music-room and found Mlle.
He spent the
bright agony of the rest of that afternoon in thegarden with little
Anthony.
Anthony had not changed so much to Angela. He picked up his little son
and caughthim to him pressing his smooth face to his own.
He would take the boy
to New Orleans with him.
Letus be exact, let us say that on September thirtieth
the price ofbread falls four sous.
Nowmake your arrangements to relieve the
market here instantly.
They were eveninvited once to the Hôtel Salm.
The child
hadshut his eyes tight sitting in a high chair.
You are incapable of
understanding me becauseyou cannot understand my motives. All the best of the
past is inEngland, the future safe, free.
The villa at Saint-Germain waseven
luxurious. But in Debrülles time they were just beginning to wet the eyelidsa
little. Yet it was this feeling that also lent a poignancy to their hours.
No
one excepthimself had ever run just exactly like that. There is no more milk,
said the cook showing signs of hysteria. And so no matter how they met,they met
ultimately to pass on and live apart. It is life, whispered the older man
dejectedly looking about him. He couldhave thanked his own little virgin with a
childish prayer.
She sang to it everywhere and it laughedand wept. Asfor
Anthony, he could have sat there listening and watchingindefinitely. Nowmake
your arrangements to relieve the market here instantly.
There is no more milk,
said the cook showing signs of hysteria.
He stopped, fumbling musically for a
better harmony for the nextline. Yes, said Anthony, surprised into a purely
instinctive utterance. Marianne, a bowl of pap for the little papa.
In some
sort his future there began to becomevaguely visible.
To all that, song and
silent waiting, Debrülle had composed aperfect accompaniment.
Angela, who had
thought that it would be so, lay stillin his arms.
He saw her supreme now in
her greatestpart.
He found him sitting having a bowl of breadand milk with the
boy. Anthony had not changed so much to Angela.
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