Agatha Christie The Hollow Chapter I At 6:13 a.m. ... - bzelbublive.info

een there, you know, waiting for you." Henrietta turned her head slowly. She saidin a low voice: "I wish I wasn't so dreadfully fond of you, Edward. It makes it sovery much harder to go on saying no." "It is no, then?" "I'm sorry.""You've said no before—but this time— well, I thought it might be different. You'vebeen happy this afternoon, Henrietta. You can't deny that." "I've been veryhappy." "Your face even—it's younger than it was this morning.""I know." "We've been happy together, talking about Ainswick, thinking aboutAinswick. Don't you see what that means, Henrietta?" "It's you who don't seewhat it means, Edward! We've been living all this afternoon in the past.""The past is sometimes a very good place to live." "One can't go back. That's theone thing one can't do--go back." He was silent for a minute or two. Then hesaid in a quiet, pleasant and quite unemotional voice: "What you really mean isthat you won't marry me because of John Christow." Henrietta did not answer,and Edward went on:"That's it, isn't it? If there were no John Christow in the world you would marryme." Henrietta said harshly, "I can't imagine a world in which there was no JohnChristow! That's what you've got to understand." "If it's like that, why on earthdoesn't the fellow get a divorce from his wife and then you could marry?""John doesn't want to get a divorce from his wife. And I don't know that I shouldwant to marry John if he did. It isn't—it isn't in the least like you think." Edwardsaid in a thoughtful, considering way: "John Christow . . . There are too manyJohn Christows in this world ..." "You're wrong," said Henrietta. "Thereare very few people like John ..." "If that's so—it's a good thing! At least, that'swhat I think!" He got up. "We'd better go back again."