Page 93 - women-in-love

‘Is there anything we can eat here? Is there anything you
would like?’
‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I should adore some oysters.’
‘All right,’ he said. ‘We’ll have oysters.’ And he beckoned
to the waiter.
Halliday took no notice, until the little plate was set be-
fore her. Then suddenly he cried:
‘Pussum, you can’t eat oysters when you’re drinking
brandy.’
‘What has it go to do with you?’ she asked.
‘Nothing, nothing,’ he cried. ‘But you can’t eat oysters
when you’re drinking brandy.’
‘I’m not drinking brandy,’ she replied, and she sprinkled
the last drops of her liqueur over his face. He gave an odd
squeal. She sat looking at him, as if indifferent.
‘Pussum, why do you do that?’ he cried in panic. He gave
Gerald the impression that he was terrified of her, and that
he loved his terror. He seemed to relish his own horror and
hatred of her, turn it over and extract every flavour from it,
in real panic. Gerald thought him a strange fool, and yet
piquant.
‘But Pussum,’ said another man, in a very small, quick
Eton voice, ‘you promised not to hurt him.’
‘I haven’t hurt him,’ she answered.
‘What will you drink?’ the young man asked. He was
dark, and smooth-skinned, and full of a stealthy vigour.
‘I don’t like porter, Maxim,’ she replied.
‘You must ask for champagne,’ came the whispering,
gentlemanly voice of the other.

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