ating her thought was the one phrase, "Why need Philip have seen?"
That look in his eyes--oh, God! would she have to go on day after day
facing those eyes that compelled her in spite of herself? Must she feel
his glances burning through her when her soul was filled with hatred for
him? But was it hatred? Surely his eyes, those lights that made her
marvel, were the windows to a high and noble soul. Yes, he was fine, yet
she wished he was not there, that she had never known him. She asked
herself if she would rather have perished, and she knew she would not.
Better to have lived forever with Philip's eyes piercing into her than
to give up life when Lawrence was with her, needing her, and--she
stopped--loving her, yes, loving her. It was true. She remembered his
voice when he had released her, and thrilled again at the tense note.
He did love her! And Philip? She felt her heart sink, and then a
strange, subtle warmth came over her. It was good to be loved by two men
so powerful, so worth while, each in his own way.
Of course, she could never care for Philip. He was beyond her power to
love; besides her heart was filled with Lawrence. But her husband, yes,
she had loved her husband. Her many days of happiness with him proved
that. She could never have lived with him as she had if love had not
been between them. She must remember that, and be true to him. It would
be hard to see Lawrence go out of her life, but it was her duty, she
owed it to herself, to her husband, and to society.
If she could only get through the remaining months without allowing
Lawrence to hope! She must not give him another opportunity to want her
or to discuss his feelings with her. She would be very, very careful.
She must plan it as easily for him as possible. The way to accomplish
that was not to be with him. This would necessitate her associating more
with Philip. After all, why shouldn't she? He was good and strong, and
not really in love with her. Of course, he might be, if she allowed it,
but she would stop that. She would show him by word, look, and act that
any such love was inconceivable. He would understand and forget his
earlier feeling, for after all he was not yet alive to the situation. It
was merely circumstances that had brought that look into his eyes.
Disliking him as she did, it would be hard to associate with him. She
studied this last problem carefully, and at last arrived at a new state
of mind. She did not dislike him
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