Page 418 - tender-is-the-night

received anywhere any more,’ the woman said.
The phrase disturbed Rosemary, though she could not
place the Divers as living in any relation to society where
such a fact, if fact it was, could have any meaning, yet the
hint of a hostile and organized public opinion rang in her
ears. ‘He’s not received anywhere any more.’ She pictured
Dick climbing the steps of a mansion, presenting cards and
being told by a butler: ‘We’re not receiving you any more”;
then proceeding down an avenue only to be told the same
thing by the countless other butlers of countless Ambassa-
dors, Ministers, Chargés d’Affaires... .
Nicole wondered how she could get away. She guessed
that Dick, stung into alertness, would grow charming and
would make Rosemary respond to him. Sure enough, in a
moment his voice managed to qualify everything unpleas-
ant he had said:
‘Mary’s all right—she’s done very well. But it’s hard to go
on liking people who don’t like you.’
Rosemary, falling into line, swayed toward Dick and
crooned:
‘Oh, you’re so nice. I can’t imagine anybody not forgiving
you anything, no matter what you did to them.’ Then feel-
ing that her exuberance had transgressed on Nicole’s rights,
she looked at the sand exactly between them: ‘I wanted to
ask you both what you thought of my latest pictures—if you
saw them.’
Nicole said nothing, having seen one of them and
thought little about it.
‘It’ll take a few minutes to tell you,’ Dick said. ‘Let’s sup-

418 Tender is the Night