Why, in the name of God, didn't she come?
"In a moment" he heard her say faintly. But when she moved it was with
decision; there was no hesitation in her manner of mounting the stone
steps. The maid came forward as they entered, first to help Savina, and
then to take Lee's hat and coat and stick. Savina turned to him,
holding out her hand, speaking in a high steady voice:
"Thank you very much--wasn't it nice?--and good-night." Without another
word, giving him no opportunity to speak, to reply, she turned neither
hurried nor slow to the stairway.
He was dumfounded, and showed it, he was sure, in the stupidity of his
fixed gesture of surprise. The emotion choked in his throat was bitter
with a sense of ill-treatment. To cover his confusion, he searched
obviously through his pockets for a cigarette case which he had left,
he knew, in his overcoat. Then, when the servant had retired, he softly
cursed. However, the bitterness, his anger, were soon lost in
bewilderment; that, with the appearance of resolving itself into a
further mystery, carried him up to his room. With a mixed drink on a
dressing-case, he wandered aimlessly around, his brain occupied with
one question, one possibility.
Piece by piece, at long intervals, he removed his clothes, found his
pajamas and dressing-gown, and washed. The drink he discovered later
untouched and he consumed it almost at a gulp.
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