DOI Artikel:
Syrett, Netta: A correspondence
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27806#0173
169
By Netta Syrett
Gretchen was silent.
“ He would not listen at first.” It seemed that having begun
her confession she ?nust speak now, though the words came
falteringly from her trembling lips. “ He said he didn’t understand
—he said there was no reason—I was playing with him. He
spoke of my letters.” She paused.
“Well ? ” gasped Gretchen breathlessly.
“ Then I thought at any rate I would not deceive him any
longer—it was no good—so I told him you wrote them.
Gretchen !—don't ! you—you frighten me ! ” she whispered
hoarsely.
Gretchen had seized her by the wrist. Her eyes were burning
in a face as white as death ; they seemed to scorch the girl cower-
ing down before her.
“You little fool! ” she exclaimed, her hands dropping heavily at
her sides. Each word stung like the sharp point of an icicle.
Cecily staggered back as though she had been struck.
It was out at last ! This was what Gretchen had been feeling
about her every minute for a whole year. The words expressed
her whole attitude towards her ; it was what Cecily had all the time
dumbly wished, yet dreaded to hear her say. It was almost a relief
—but she was dazed and confused—she did not yet understand what
had forced the words, what had impelled Gretchen, at last, to give
her spoken verdict. She still gazed at her bewildered, hopeless.
“ What did he think of me ? ” inquired Gretchen mockingly.
Her tone was so careless and airy that Cecily half doubted for the
moment whether she could have said those words in that voice
a second before—then she looked again at her face, and knew that
her ears had not deceived her.
She stood for a second with parted lips, and then a great fear
crept up into her eyes, as she covered her face with both hands.
“ Forgive
By Netta Syrett
Gretchen was silent.
“ He would not listen at first.” It seemed that having begun
her confession she ?nust speak now, though the words came
falteringly from her trembling lips. “ He said he didn’t understand
—he said there was no reason—I was playing with him. He
spoke of my letters.” She paused.
“Well ? ” gasped Gretchen breathlessly.
“ Then I thought at any rate I would not deceive him any
longer—it was no good—so I told him you wrote them.
Gretchen !—don't ! you—you frighten me ! ” she whispered
hoarsely.
Gretchen had seized her by the wrist. Her eyes were burning
in a face as white as death ; they seemed to scorch the girl cower-
ing down before her.
“You little fool! ” she exclaimed, her hands dropping heavily at
her sides. Each word stung like the sharp point of an icicle.
Cecily staggered back as though she had been struck.
It was out at last ! This was what Gretchen had been feeling
about her every minute for a whole year. The words expressed
her whole attitude towards her ; it was what Cecily had all the time
dumbly wished, yet dreaded to hear her say. It was almost a relief
—but she was dazed and confused—she did not yet understand what
had forced the words, what had impelled Gretchen, at last, to give
her spoken verdict. She still gazed at her bewildered, hopeless.
“ What did he think of me ? ” inquired Gretchen mockingly.
Her tone was so careless and airy that Cecily half doubted for the
moment whether she could have said those words in that voice
a second before—then she looked again at her face, and knew that
her ears had not deceived her.
She stood for a second with parted lips, and then a great fear
crept up into her eyes, as she covered her face with both hands.
“ Forgive