And marriage was the only effective way. But Desire did not
want marriage. She has never told me just why but I have seen and
heard enough to know that her horror of the idea is deep seated, a
spiritual nausea, an. abnormal twist which may never straighten. I
say 'may,' because there is a good chance the other way. All one can
do is to wait. And in the meantime I want her to find life pleasant.
She once told me that she was a window-gazer. I want to open all the
doors."
"Except the one door that; matters," said Rogers gloomily.
"Nonsense! You don't believe that. Life has many things to give
besides the love of man and woman."
"Has it? You'll know better some day--even a cold-blooded fish like
you."
"Fish?" said Spence sorrowfully. "And from mine own familiar friend?
Fish!"
"What will you do," exploded the doctor, "when she wakes up and
finds how you have cheated her? When she realizes, too late, that
she has sold her birthright?"
The professor rose slowly and dusted the dry grass from the knees of
his knickers. "Tut, tut!" he said, "the subject excites you. Let us
talk about me for a change. Observe me carefully, John, and tell me
what you think of me. Only not in marine language. Am I an Apollo?
Or a Greek god? Or even a movie star of the third magnitude? Or am
I, not to put too fine a point on it, as homely as a hedge fence?"
"Oh, hang it, Benis, stop your fooling."
"I'm not fooling. I want you to understand that I have consulted my
mirror.
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