Page 405 - tender-is-the-night

in clothes borrowed from Dick moved her sadly, falsely, as
though Tommy were not able to afford such clothes.
‘When you get to the hotel rub this into your throat and
chest and then inhale it,’ she said.
‘Say, there,’ Dick murmured as Tommy went down the
steps, ‘don’t give Tommy the whole jar—it has to be ordered
from Paris—it’s out of stock down here.’
Tommy came back within hearing and the three of them
stood in the sunshine, Tommy squarely before the car so
that it seemed by leaning forward he would tip it upon his
back.
Nicole stepped down to the path.
‘Now catch it,’ she advised him. ‘It’s extremely rare.’
She heard Dick grow silent at her side; she took a step off
from him and waved as the car drove off with Tommy and
the special camphor rub. Then she turned to take her own
medicine.
‘There was no necessity for that gesture,’ Dick said.
‘There are four of us here—and for years whenever there’s
a cough—‘
They looked at each other.
‘We can always get another jar—‘ then she lost her nerve
and presently followed him upstairs where he lay down on
his own bed and said nothing.
‘Do you want lunch to be brought up to you?’ she asked.
He nodded and continued to lie quiescent, staring at the
ceiling. Doubtfully she went to give the order. Upstairs again
she looked into his room—the blue eyes, like searchlights,
played on a dark sky. She stood a minute in the doorway,

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