"I wouldn't have interfered for the world if
I hadn't been afraid that you were going to drown yourself into the
bargain. And I really couldn't bear that. There are limits, you know."
She laughed a little in spite of herself. "No, I have no intention of
drowning myself. I am not so desperate as that."
He smiled at her whimsically. "It happens sometimes unintentionally.
Let's climb up to the next shelf and sit down!"
Her hand was still in his. He kept it to help her up the tumbling stones
to a higher ridge of shingle.
"Will this do?" he asked her. "May I stay for a bit? I'll be very good."
"You always are good," said Juliet, as she sat down.
"No? Really? You don't mean that? Well, it's awfully kind of you if you
do, but it isn't true." He dropped down beside her and offered her his
cigarette-case. "I can be--I have been--a perfect devil sometimes."
"Yes. I know," she said, as she chose a cigarette.
"Oh, you know that, do you? How do you know?" He was watching her
closely, but as the faint colour mounted to her face, his eyes fell. "No,
don't tell me! It doesn't matter. Wait while I get you a match!"
He struck one and held it first for her and then for himself, his brown
hand absolutely steady.
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