XII
Two nights later Tiny had a large dinner. A place had been kept forTrennahan. He had expected to be sent in with Magdalena,--somewhatillogically, as no one suspected his engagement. He was sent in withHelena.
The long low dining-room of the old house on Rincon Hill had never beendouble-dated with gas fixtures. There was a large candelabra against thedark wainscot at each end of the room, and little clusters of flame onthe table. The girls never looked so pretty, so guileless, never plantedtheir arrows so surely, as in this room, in the soft radiance of its waxcandles.
On Helena's other side sat Rollins, whom she honoured by regarding as abrother. On Trennahan's left Ila was intent upon the subjugation of ayounger brother of Mr. Washington, who had recently returned to SanFrancisco after six years in Europe, and had knelt at her shrine atonce. He was wealthy, and she had made up her mind to marry him.Trennahan she had given up during the summer. Had she not, she wouldhave known better than to pit her charms against Helena's. Magdalena wason the same side of the table.
Helena wore white, in which she looked her best; the silk softened withmuch lace on the bust. She raised her eyes defiantly to Trennahan's.Their coquetry had been ordered to the rear.
"We've got to talk, or look like idiots," she said. "I had made up mymind never to speak to you again. I think you were quite too horrid theother night."
"I certainly was."
"Was it your fault or mine?"
"Wholly mine--despite your fascinations."
"I wouldn't have been fascinating if I had known. I am glad you admitthat it was all your fault. It makes me believe that it was. What madeyou keep it up for three hours?"
"The weakness of man."
"Is that what you told 'Lena?"
"No; it is not."
"What did you tell her--Oh, how horrid of me to ask! Let's talk aboutsomething else. Do you like California better than New York?"
"It will take exactly eight minutes to exhaust that subject; I am an oldhand at it. So while I assure you that I do, and am giving my reasons,please cast about for a subject to follow."
"My thinker is not good to-night. I expect you to take care of me."
"What greater delight! You are paler than you were. Are you not well?"
Trennahan's voice became tender from long habit. The softness and firesprang to Helena's eyes. The pink tide poured into her cheeks. A suddenintense light sprang into Trennahan's eyes. It held hers for thefraction of a moment, then both looked away; and ate their oysters.
It was Helena who spoke first. "Another moment, and we should have beenlaunched into the second chapter. But we are not to flirt; we understandthat thoroughly. I don't think, on second thoughts, that I should likeyou at all. You have yourself too well in hand; you look as if you hadbeen through it all too many times; there isn't a bit of freshness aboutyou--Oh, bother, I hate lying! I'll tell you plainly and have done withit,--I should be in love with you by this time if it were not for 'Lena.That's not the way of older climes, but it's mine: I've got to talk outor die. I've always said everything that occurred to me. Let's talk thisout, and then we'll never talk for two minutes alone again. If you hadnot been in love with 'Lena, should you be in love with me by thistime?"
He put his fork down abruptly and turned to her. She shrank a little. "Ithink we had better let that subject alone. As a product of olderclimes, I am competent to judge."
"I must know. I will know. Tell me."
"Well, then, I should."
"As much as you are with 'Lena?"
"I should have been madder about you than I have been about any womanfor fifteen years."
"If you know that, how can you help it now?"
"There is such a thing as honour in men."
"That means that there is none in women? Well, I don't believe there is.But honour does not keep a man from loving a woman."
He made no reply.
"Does it?"
"Are you mad about fire? Or is it your vanity that is insatiable?"
Again he met her eyes. And this time her face was as white as her gown.Her bosom was heaving. Her skin was translucent. To Trennahan's suffusedvision she seemed bathed in white fire.
"I love you," he said hoarsely; "and I would give all the soul I've gotto have met you a year ago."