Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1935, Page 77

Volume 1, Number 4 N 4 Illustration by Karl Godwin [.ocked Door THIS WEEK “Will you swear to me that you don’t love anyone else i’ The story of a wife who outsmarted her husband by MICHAEL ARLEN 0 YOU haven't gone!"” ‘1 got as far as Putney, when I realized I could just as well go in the morning."” “But won't you have to start very early?" “Nine. The match won’'t come on till eleven. Why, you're quite white, Julia!" “Well, you gave me rather a start — think- ing you weren't coming back to-night.” “1 was sure you'd be asleep, so I came in as quietly as I could.” *You must have come in on tiptoe!"” “It seems to annoy you." ““Well, it is rather annoying about the house.” “‘Oh, nonsense, Julia!" “I know it is, but, all the same, one doesn't s;omehow think of a man of six-foot-two steal- ing into his house and up the stairs on tiptoe."’ “Really, Julia, you're too ridiculous! Naturally, a man comes into his house as quietly as he can when he thinks his wife is asleep. If I had slammed the door and you had been asleep, you'd have been furious.” “‘Oh, dear, I suppose you're right.” “‘Of course I am. I never dreamt you'd be awake. It's past midnight, and you said, at ten, you were tired.” . ““1 just thought I'd read a little first. You know how it is. One begins reading — and then it's past midnight!" “‘Got any cigarettes in here?”’ ‘“There, on the dressing-table."” “How I hate these beastly straw-tipped things of yours!"” “And how I hate cigarette smoke in my room just before I go to sleep! Geoffrey, please don't smoke now." *‘Good heavens, I no sooner come into your room than you get sleepy!" “‘Darling, is that so very unnatural?” ““While if I leave you at ten because you say you are tired — I find you still reading at midnight!” (14 - your stealing ““Well, don't let’s sit up all night bickering about it."” “I'm not bickering.” “Very well, darling, you're not. But re- member you have a hard match to-morrow." *‘Oh, I can beat Transome on my head!"” “‘Such a surprise for it!"” “lt?” *‘Your head, darling — to be used after all these years.” “I tell you what, Julia — you've been getting confoundedly sharp with me lately.” ‘‘Nothing to what I will be, darling, if you insist on keeping me awake until all hours talking nonsense.” ‘‘So I'm talking nonsense, am I?”’ “‘Of course not, darling! You are the most brilliantly intelligent man I know."” “I'll tell you what — I'm intelligent enough to have noticed that your main idea lately has been to get me out of your room as soon as I come into it.” ‘"Twould be chastity in a maid — 'tis an insult in a wife."” ‘I wish you wouldn't try to be clever when I'm trying to talk sense.” ‘‘But, darling, I'm sleepy!”’ “‘Oh, yes, you're always sleepy nowadays. Look here, Julia, I’'m not going to stand it." ‘“‘Not going to stand what, darling — my being sleepy? It seems to me that you are being extraordinarily aggressive about nothing.” “1 suppose you call it ‘nothing’ that a woman complains she's sleepy every time she sees her husband.” “But T don't call it ‘nothing'! I call it perfectly natural in the case of a good many husbands."” ‘1 suppose that’s meant for me?" *Of course not, darling. I vield to no one in my admiration for vour many fascinating qualities as a man. as a tennis player, and as a companion.” “I know I'm not clever and all that, but that’s no reason why you should sneer at me.” “Geoffrey, please go to bed now instead of keeping us both up talking nonsense!” ‘‘Well, I don’t call it nonsense. I've been wanting a talk with you for a long time.” “Oh. dw!" “That's it —sigh away! You're always sighing about something lately — good hea- ens!"’ “‘Now what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"” “I've just noticed that the book you've been holding in your hand ever since I came in is upside down — that’s all!”’ “I had been reading, and then I put the book down to get something, and I'd just picked it up again when you —"’ ‘‘Now take a deep breath and try another line.” . “Geoffrey, are you crazy? Why should I want to pretend I was reading when I wasn't?"’ “I don’t know. I fancy I don’'t know many things. But I'm jolly well going to get to the bottom of all I can.” “From the way you're looking round, any- one would think you were looking for —'' “I don't give a hang for what anyone would think. Now, just listen to me."” “Geoffrey! Don’t be so rough — you're bruising my arm.” - “You're my wife, aren't you?”’ “Yes, darling. But you are hurting my arm.” **And you know I love you, don't you?'' “Yes, darling. But you are still hurting my arm.” ‘Listen to me, Julia — what has been the matter with you these last few weeks?” ““Do you mean my being sleepy?"’ “If you think you're going to get out of this by laughing at me, you're mistaken.’ ‘Geoffrey, have you been drinking?"’ “Julia, why have you absolutely refused to be a wife to me ever since we came back from Cannes?” “‘But I haven't refused!” “‘Not in so many words, perhaps; but by your evasions, it has come to that.” “‘Come to what, darling?”’ “Confound you, Julia, try and be serious for once!" “Very well. Only, look out!”’ *“You mean that if you once begin being serious . . .. ?” *‘I mean that a serious woman and a sub- missive wife are incompatible.”’ ‘*‘I'm not going to be put off by your second- rate cleverness. Look here, you've scarcely even let me kiss you lately, have you? Why?"' ‘‘Are you sure you really want to know?” “I'm going to know!” “You'll be angry.” 4!G° On!" ‘‘I've every intention of going on. To begin with, how long have we been married?”’ ‘‘What's that got to do with it?” “You'll see. How long, my darling?” “‘Well, five years."” ‘‘And how have you spent these five years?'' ‘‘Me! How have I spent them?”’ ‘‘Yes, you. Oh, dear, don't gape at me!"” ‘“What the devil are you getting at?" ‘‘What is your record as a husband these last five years?”’ ‘‘Anyone would think I was in the dock!”’ “‘Well, let me tell you. You have spent the five years of our married life in being a good sportsman and a popular fellow." “Look here, you're not daring to tell me that I haven’t been a good husband?”’ “‘Oh dear, yes, you've been a good husband ! An unfaithful husband might conceivably make love to his wife now and then, just to sooth his conscience.” *‘I call that an indecent remark." ‘‘Levelled at you, the great sportsman — isn’t it terrible, Geoffrey!" *‘I wish I knew what you are talking about. I ask you why you haven't let me come near you lately, and you answer by sneering at me for playing games!” *‘Idon’'t mind your playing games. What I do mind is your not playing the game with m"l “‘For heaven's sake, Julia!" “well?" “Don't let’s say things we'll be sorry for later.” I shan't be sorry, | assure you, to end an impossible situation.” “But what have I done, Julia? How haven t 1 played the game with you?" (Continued on page 13)