The Girl with the Green Eyes Part 16

AUSTIN. [_After a second's hesitation._] That you mustn't ask me; it was not from her I knew of it.

JINNY. Truly?

AUSTIN. Truly.

JINNY. I don't care, she hadn't any business to go to you! I should think she'd have gone to a _woman_ instead of a _man_ for sympathy.

She's got Mrs. Cullingham!

AUSTIN. She can't go to her, poor girl. Mrs. Cullingham knows nothing about it.

JINNY. Now don't you get too sympathetic--_that's very dangerous_!

AUSTIN. Look out, your imagination is peeping through the keyhole.

[_A moment's pause._

JINNY. [_In a sympathetic tone, the jealousy gone._] What is her trouble, Jack?

AUSTIN. That, dear, I can't tell you now; some day, perhaps, if you want me to, but not now. Only I give you my word of honor, it has nothing to do with you and me--does not touch our life! And I want you to tell me you believe me, and _trust_ me, and won't let yourself be jealous again!

JINNY. I do believe you, and I do trust you, and I will _try_ not to be jealous again!

AUSTIN. That's right.

JINNY. You know that book of De Maupa.s.sant's [_They move away together._] I was reading in the train the other day,--about the young girl who killed herself with charcoal fumes when her lover deserted her?

AUSTIN. [_Half laughing._] This is apropos of what, please? I have absolutely _no_ sympathy with such people.

JINNY. In America that girl would have simply turned on the gas.

AUSTIN. You're getting morbid, Jinny!

JINNY. No, I'm not! but if ever--

AUSTIN. [_Interrupting--laughing it off_.] I shall install _electric light_ as soon as we get home!

[_They both laugh._

JINNY. I'm sorry I was so disagreeable to Ruth, but I'll try to make up for it in every way I can.

[_She sits on the bench and he leans over the back toward her._

AUSTIN. There's one other thing, Jinny, I'd like to speak of now. Would you mind giving up the Lakes and going home this week?

JINNY. Going _home_--at once?

AUSTIN. Yes--_Wall Street_ is very uncertain. I'm worried,--I don't mind telling you,--and I want to see Geoffrey about his business.

JINNY. [_Half in earnest._] Jack! You're not running away from _her_, are you?

AUSTIN. Jinny! _After all_ we've said!

JINNY. No! I wasn't in earnest! I'm ready to go. I've seen the Lakes, and whether you are in Italy or in New York, so long as we are together, it's our honeymoon just the same.

AUSTIN. And may it last _all our lives_!

JINNY. Still, I don't mind owning up that leaving Ruth Chester behind here is rather pleasanter! [_She rises quickly with a sudden thought._]

_She_ is not going back, too?

AUSTIN. Oh, no, not for a long time. They are over here indefinitely.

JINNY. I've been too horrid and nasty for words this morning, Jack--I'm so sorry.

AUSTIN. It's over and forgotten now.

JINNY. You _do_ forgive me?

AUSTIN. Of course, dear; only I want to say this one thing to you: to suspect unjustly a _true_ love is to insult that love!

JINNY. I didn't really suspect you.

AUSTIN. Of course I know you didn't; this is only by way of a grandfatherly warning! It is possible to insult a true love too often--and love can die--

JINNY. s.h.!.+ don't, please, say any more. You have forgiven me, haven't you?

AUSTIN. Yes!

JINNY. Then kiss me!

AUSTIN. [_Smiling._] Here! My dear, some one will see us!

JINNY. No, only Apollo; see, there's no one else about--it's luncheon hour!

AUSTIN. But--

[_Taking her hand._

JINNY. [_Pulling him._] Come along, then, behind the statue. No one will see us there!

[_They are behind the statue a moment and then come around the other side._

JINNY. There! no one saw us, and I'm so _happy_, are you?

AUSTIN. _"So happy!"_

[_JINNY takes his arm and they go to the Left entrance. She stops and looks up at him._

JINNY. Are my eyes _green_ now?