I wouldn't mind bein' born ugly. There's plenty of men at the top
that's ugly enough, God knows. But just one generation with money irons out
the commonness. That's it! I'm common! Common! Common. _Democracy_! Oh,
God!"
He caught up his cap and rushed out of the room,
Alexina ran after him and caught him at the garden door. Like all beautiful
women who have listened to many declarations of love (or avoided them) she
was inclined to be cruel to men that roused no response in her. But she
felt only pity for Kirkpatrick.
She had intended merely to insist upon shaking hands with him, but when she
saw his contorted face she slipped her arm round his neck and kissed him
warmly on the cheek.
Then she pushed him gently through the door and locked it.
CHAPTER X
I
Alexina had finished giving tea to two officers, a surgeon and a medecin
major, and, enchanted almost as much by the sugar and the white bread as
by their hostess, refreshingly beautiful and elegant in her velvet gown of
pervenche blue, they had lingered until nearly six. As the concierge had
gone out on an errand of her own Alexina had opened the garden door for
them, and after they disappeared she stood looking at the street, which
always fascinated her.
It was very narrow and crooked and gray. Her house was the only one with a
garden in front; the others rose perpendicularly from the narrow pavement,
tall and close and rather imposing.
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