Page 94 - tender-is-the-night

XV

‘What is it you are giving up?’ demanded Rosemary, fac-
ing Dick earnestly in the taxi.
‘Nothing of importance.’
‘Are you a scientist?’
‘I’m a doctor of medicine.’
‘Oh-h!’ she smiled delightedly. ‘My father was a doctor
too. Then why don’t you—‘ she stopped.
‘There’s no mystery. I didn’t disgrace myself at the height
of my career, and hide away on the Riviera. I’m just not prac-
tising. You can’t tell, I’ll probably practise again some day.’
Rosemary put up her face quietly to be kissed. He looked
at her for a moment as if he didn’t understand. Then holding
her in the hollow of his arm he rubbed his cheek against her
cheek’s softness, and then looked down at her for another
long moment.
‘Such a lovely child,’ he said gravely.
She smiled up at him; her hands playing conventionally
with the lapels of his coat. ‘I’m in love with you and Ni-
cole. Actually that’s my secret—I can’t even talk about you
to anybody because I don’t want any more people to know
how wonderful you are. Honestly—I love you and Nicole—I
do.’
—So many times he had heard this—even the formula
was the same.

94 Tender is the Night