But it is quite
true that she did dance on the stage. She grew quite purple when
that wretched bird threw it up to her."
Desire had laughed and promised to sequestrate Yorick for the
afternoon. He had taken the insult badly and was now muttering
protests to himself with throaty noises which exploded occasionally
in bursts of bitter laughter.
It was too early to dress for another hour but already the dress lay
ready on the bed. Desire had chosen it with care. She had no
wedding-dress. Bridal white would have seemed--well, dangerously
near the humorous. She would have feared that half-smile with which
Spence was wont to appreciate life's pleasantries. But the gown upon
the bed was the last word in smartness and charm. In color it was
like pale sunlight through green water. It was both cool and bright.
Against it, her warm, white skin glowed warmer and whiter; her leaf-
brown hair showed more softly brown. Its skirt was daintily short
and beneath it would show green stockings that shimmered, and
slippers that were vanity.
Desire sat in the window seat and allowed herself to be quite happy.
"If I could just sit here forever," she mused. "If someone could
enchant me, just as I am, with the sun warm on the tips of my toes
and this little wind, so full of flowers, cool upon my face. If I
need never again hear anything save the drone of sleepy bees, the
chirping of fat robins and the hum of a lawn-mower--"
She sat up suddenly.
Pages:
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191