The Twilight of the Souls Part 25

"That's my eyes, Gerrit: I can't help it if they laugh."

"And you want to make me believe that you get fits of the blues?"

"Well, why shouldn't I?"

"Very likely. But you're not the sort...."

"To what?"

"To sit moping for long."

"Well, I didn't. I came to Holland."

"Weren't you doing well in Paris?"

"Not quite so well, perhaps," she said, hesitating between her vanity and certain strange feelings which she did not clearly realize.

"So _that's_ why you came to Holland!"

"I might have gone to London."

"To London?"

"And from there to Berlin."

"Berlin?"

"And then to St. Petersburg."

"Look here, what are you talking about?"

"And next to Constantinople."

"Oh, shut up!"

"And do you know where we finish?"

"What do you mean, finish?"

"At Singapore. You know that's the regular tour."

"Oh, well.... I've heard it; but that's nonsense."

"So many of us go on that tour. It's not a circular tour, Gerrit. It doesn't bring you back ... to Paris."

"What a queer way you have of saying those things!" said Gerrit, laughing uncomfortably. "You were always a strange girl. Tell me, your father ... was a waiter, wasn't he?"

"No, a gentleman. My mother was a laundress ... in Brussels."

"And those twelve years of yours in Paris...."

"Made me into a Parisian, you think?... Gerrit, I longed for Holland!"

"I'll never believe that."

"Yes, Gerrit, I longed for Holland."

"You're a great liar ... with those eyes of yours! I never believe a word you say."

"Gerrit ... and for you!"

"What's that?"

"I longed for you."

"Yes, of course. Tell that to the marines."

"I remembered the old days...."

"Oh, drop it!"

"Don't you know, when...."

"Yes, yes, I know everything. Stow all that, you and your recollections!

You've taken me in enough, as it is. Why don't you look out for a young, rich chap?"

"You're not old, Gerrit."

"Oh, I'm not old!"

"No. I am. I've grown older, haven't I, Gerrit?"

"Your eyes haven't."

"But the rest of me?"

"Yes, of course.... You have grown older..."

"Gerrit, I don't want to get old.... I think it terrible to get old....

Am I still pretty and...?"

"Yes, yes, yes...."

"But, very soon, I shall...."

"You'll what?"

"I shall be plain ... and old."