Citation de Roxane25
When there had been her mother and a French nurse, he had been inclined to be strict; now he extended himself, reached out for a new tolerance; he must be both parents to her and not shut any of her out of communication.
"I want to get to know you," he said gravely. "First let me introduce myself. My name is Charles J. Wales, of Prague."
"Oh, Daddy!" her voice cracked with laughter.
"And who are you, please?" he persisted, and she accepted a role immediately: "Honoria Wales, Rue Palatine, Paris."
"Married or single?"
"No, not married. Single."
He indicated the doll. "But I see you have a child, Madame."
Unwilling to disinherit it, she took it to her heart and thought quickly: "Yes, I've been married, but I'm not married now. My husband is dead."
He went on quickly, "And the child's name?"
"Simone. That's after my best friend at school."
"I'm very pleased that you're doing so well at school."
"I'm third this month," she boasted. "Elsie" -that was her cousin- "is only about eighteenth, and Richard is about at the bottom."
"You like Richard and Elsie, don't you?"
"Oh, yes. I like Richard quite well and I like her all right."
Cautiously and casually he asked: "And Aunt Marion and Uncle Lincoln - which do you like best?"
"Oh, Uncle Lincoln, I guess."
He was increasingly aware of her presence. As they came in, a murmur of "...adorable" followed them, and now the people at the next table bent all their silences upon her, staring as if she were something no more conscious than a flower.
"I want to get to know you," he said gravely. "First let me introduce myself. My name is Charles J. Wales, of Prague."
"Oh, Daddy!" her voice cracked with laughter.
"And who are you, please?" he persisted, and she accepted a role immediately: "Honoria Wales, Rue Palatine, Paris."
"Married or single?"
"No, not married. Single."
He indicated the doll. "But I see you have a child, Madame."
Unwilling to disinherit it, she took it to her heart and thought quickly: "Yes, I've been married, but I'm not married now. My husband is dead."
He went on quickly, "And the child's name?"
"Simone. That's after my best friend at school."
"I'm very pleased that you're doing so well at school."
"I'm third this month," she boasted. "Elsie" -that was her cousin- "is only about eighteenth, and Richard is about at the bottom."
"You like Richard and Elsie, don't you?"
"Oh, yes. I like Richard quite well and I like her all right."
Cautiously and casually he asked: "And Aunt Marion and Uncle Lincoln - which do you like best?"
"Oh, Uncle Lincoln, I guess."
He was increasingly aware of her presence. As they came in, a murmur of "...adorable" followed them, and now the people at the next table bent all their silences upon her, staring as if she were something no more conscious than a flower.