And, bursting into tears of child-like
indignation, she added: "Father assured me you would never hint
at such a thing--never.
If you mean to persist, then--"
The sentence was left eloquently unfinished. She turned away,
walked over to her mother and took a seat by her side, like a little
girl mutely seeking her mamma's protection
The room seemed to be in a whirl. I felt the cold perspiration break
out on my forehead. I was conscious of Mrs. Tevkin's and Elsie's
glances. I was sick at heart. Anna's bitter resentment was a black
surprise to me. I had a crushing sense of final defeat
BOOK XIV EPISODES OF A LONELY LIFE CHAPTER I IT was
a severe blow. It caused me indescribable suffering. It would not
have been unnatural to attribute my fiasco to my age. Had I been
ten years younger, Anna's attitude toward me might have been
different. But this point of view I loathed to accept. Instead, I put
the blame on Anna's environment.
"I was in the 'enemy's country' there," I would muse. "The
atmosphere around her was against me.
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