Page 229 - tender-is-the-night

flowers. It was that to me anyhow—I thought I was sweet—
waiting to hand that basket to you.’
He breathed over her shoulder and turned her insistent-
ly about; she kissed him several times, her face getting big
every time she came close, her hands holding him by the
shoulders.
‘It’s raining hard.’
Suddenly there was a booming from the wine slopes
across the lake; cannons were shooting at hail-bearing
clouds in order to break them. The lights of the promenade
went off, went on again. Then the storm came swiftly, first
falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents
from the mountains and washing loud down the roads
and stone ditches; with it came a dark, frightening sky and
savage filaments of lightning and world-splitting thunder,
while ragged, destroying clouds fled along past the hotel.
Mountains and lake disappeared—the hotel crouched amid
tumult, chaos and darkness.
By this time Dick and Nicole had reached the vestibule,
where Baby Warren and the three Marmoras were anx-
iously awaiting them. It was exciting coming out of the wet
fog—with the doors banging, to stand and laugh and quiver
with emotion, wind in their ears and rain on their clothes.
Now in the ballroom the orchestra was playing a Strauss
waltz, high and confusing.
... For Doctor Diver to marry a mental patient? How did
it happen? Where did it begin?
‘Won’t you come back after you’ve changed?’ Baby War-
ren asked after a close scrutiny.

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