DOI Artikel:
Cross, Victoria: Theodora: a fragment
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21805#0173
By Victoria Cross 169
always available. I feit inclined to throw my arm round that
supple-looking waist—and it was close to me—and say, “ Don’t
be sorry ; come too.” I don’t know whether my looks were as
plain as hers, but Theodora rose carelessly, apparently to set her
teacup down, and then did not resume her seat by me, but went
back to the sofa on the other side of the rüg. This, in the state
of feeling into which I had drifted, produced an irritated Sensation,
and I was rather pleased than not when a gong sounded some-
where in the house and gave me a graceful opening to rise.
u May I hope to hear from you, then, which day you will like
to come ? ” I asked, as I held out my hand.
Now this was the moment I had been. expecting, practically,
ever since her hand had left mine last night, the moment when it
should touch it again. I do not mean consciously, but there are
a million slight, vague physical experiences and sensations within
us of which the mind remains unconscious. Theodora’s white
right hand rested on her hip, the light from above struck upon it,
and I noted that all the rings had been stripped from it ; her left
was crowded with them, so that the hand sparkled at each
movement, but not one remained on her right. I coloured violently
for the minute as I recollected my last night’s pressure, and the
idea flashed upon me at once that she had removed them expressly
to avoid the pain of having them ground into her flesh.
The next second Theodora had laid her hand eonfidently in
mine. My mind, annoyed at the thought that had just shot
through it, bade me take her hand loosely and let it go, but
"I heodora raised her eyes to me, full of a soft disappointment
which seemed to say, “ Are you not going to press it, then, after
all, when I have taken off all the rings entirely that you may ? ”
That look seemed to push away, walk over, ignore my reason, and
appeal directly to the eager physical nerves and muscles.
Spontaneously,
always available. I feit inclined to throw my arm round that
supple-looking waist—and it was close to me—and say, “ Don’t
be sorry ; come too.” I don’t know whether my looks were as
plain as hers, but Theodora rose carelessly, apparently to set her
teacup down, and then did not resume her seat by me, but went
back to the sofa on the other side of the rüg. This, in the state
of feeling into which I had drifted, produced an irritated Sensation,
and I was rather pleased than not when a gong sounded some-
where in the house and gave me a graceful opening to rise.
u May I hope to hear from you, then, which day you will like
to come ? ” I asked, as I held out my hand.
Now this was the moment I had been. expecting, practically,
ever since her hand had left mine last night, the moment when it
should touch it again. I do not mean consciously, but there are
a million slight, vague physical experiences and sensations within
us of which the mind remains unconscious. Theodora’s white
right hand rested on her hip, the light from above struck upon it,
and I noted that all the rings had been stripped from it ; her left
was crowded with them, so that the hand sparkled at each
movement, but not one remained on her right. I coloured violently
for the minute as I recollected my last night’s pressure, and the
idea flashed upon me at once that she had removed them expressly
to avoid the pain of having them ground into her flesh.
The next second Theodora had laid her hand eonfidently in
mine. My mind, annoyed at the thought that had just shot
through it, bade me take her hand loosely and let it go, but
"I heodora raised her eyes to me, full of a soft disappointment
which seemed to say, “ Are you not going to press it, then, after
all, when I have taken off all the rings entirely that you may ? ”
That look seemed to push away, walk over, ignore my reason, and
appeal directly to the eager physical nerves and muscles.
Spontaneously,