She knew
that one was commanded not to commit adultery--but why, she
thought, should one? It was probably something like catching
salmon out of season--a thing one did not do. She gathered it had
something to do with kissing, or holding some one in your arms. .
. .
And yet the whole effect of that reading upon Nancy was
mysterious, terrifying and evil. She felt a sickness--a sickness that
grew as she read. Her heart beat painfully; she began to cry. She
asked God how He could permit such things to be. And she was
more certain that Edward did not love Leonora and that Leonora
hated Edward. Perhaps, then, Edward loved some one else. It was
unthinkable.
If he could love some one else than Leonora, her fierce unknown
heart suddenly spoke in her side, why could it not be herself? And
he did not love her. . . . This had occurred about a month before
she got the letter from her mother. She let the matter rest until the
sick feeling went off; it did that in a day or two. Then, finding that
Leonora's headaches had gone, she suddenly told Leonora that
Mrs Brand had divorced her husband. She asked what, exactly, it
all meant.
Leonora was lying on the sofa in the hall; she was feeling so weak
that she could hardly find the words.
Pages:
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304