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ndness is a form of restorative。
They were both young。 Well； she was too。 But they were both happy； gay； basking in the world's blessings； that was the difference between them and her。 It stood out all over them。 There was some sort of gilded incandescence alight within both of them alike； something that was more than mere good spirits； more than mere good fortune； and for the first few moments she couldn't tell what it was。 Then in no time at all； their eyes； and every turn of their heads； and every move they made； gave it away： they were supremely； brimmingly in love with one another。 It glowed out all over them； almost like phosphorus。
Young love。 New untarnished love。 That first love that es just once to everyone and never es back again。
But； conversationally； it expressed itself inversely； at least on her part if not his； almost every remark she addressed to him was a friendly insult； a gentle slur； an amiable depreciation。 Not so much as a word of tenderness； or even ordinary human consideration； did she seem to have for him。 Though her eyes belied her。 And he understood。 He had that smile for all her outrageous insolences； that worshipped； that adored； that understood so well。
〃Well； go on；〃 she said with a peremptory flick of her hand。 〃Don't stand there like a dope； breathing down the backs of our necks。 Go and find something to do。〃
〃Oh； pardon me；〃 he said； and pretended to turn the back of his collar up； as if frozen out He looked vaguely up and down the aisle。 〃Guess I'll go out on the platform and smoke a cigarette。〃
〃Smoke two；〃 she said airily。 〃See if I care。〃
He turned and began to pick his way down the thronged aisle。
〃That was nice of him；〃 the newer said appreciatively； glancing after him。
〃Oh； he's tolerable；〃 her panion said。 〃He has his good points。〃 She gave a shrug。 But her eyes made a liar out of her。
She glanced around to make sure he'd gone out of earshot。 Then she leaned slightly toward the other； dropped her voice confidentially。 〃I could tell right away；〃 she said。 〃That's why I made him get up。 About you； I mean。〃
The girl who'd been on the valise dropped her eyes for an instant； confused； deprecating。 She didn't say anything。
〃I am too。 You're not the only one；〃 her panion rushed on； with just a trace of vainglory； as if she couldn't wait to tell it quickly enough。
The girl said； 〃Oh。〃 She didn't know what else to say。 It sounded flat； superficial； the way you say 〃Is that so？〃 or 〃You don't say？〃 She tried to force a smile of sympathetic interest； but she wasn't very good at it。 Out of practice at smiling； maybe。
〃Seven months；〃 the other added gratuitously。
The girl could feel her eyes on her； as though she expected some return in kind to be made； if only for the record。
〃Eight；〃 she said； half…audibly。 She didn't want to； but she did。
〃Wonderful；〃 was her panion's praise for this arithmetical information。 〃Marvelous。〃 As though there were some sort of a caste system involved in this； and she unexpectedly found herself speaking to one of the upper brackets of nobility： a duchess or a marquise； who outranked her by thirty days。 And all around them； snobbishly ignored； the monality of the female gender。
〃Wonderful； marvelous；〃 echoed the girl inwardly； and her heart gave a frightened； unheard sob。
〃And your husband？〃 the other rushed on。 〃You going to meet him？〃
〃No；〃 the girl said； looking steadily at the green velour of the seatback in front of them。 〃No。〃
〃Oh。 D'd you leave him back in New York？〃
〃No；〃 the girl said。 〃No。〃 She seemed to see it written on the seatback in transitory lettering； that faded again as soon as it was once read。 〃I've lost him。〃
〃Oh； I'm sor…〃 Her vivacious panion seemed to know grief for the first time； other than just grief over a broken doll or a schoolgirl crush betrayed。 It was like a new experience passing over her radiant face。 And it was； even now； bound to be someone else's grief； not her own； that was the impression you had。 That she'd never had any grief of her own； had none now； and never would have。 One of those star…blessed rarities； glittering its way through the world's dark vale。
She bit off the rest of the ejaculation of sympathy； gnawed at her upper lip； reached out impulsively and placed her hand upon her panion's for a moment； then withdrew it again。
Then； tactfully； they didn't speak any more about such things。 Such basic things as birth and death； that can give such joy and can give such pain。
She had corn…gold hair； this sun…kissed being。 She wore it in a hazy aureole that fluffed out all over her head。 She had freckles that were like little flecks of gold paint； spattered from some careless painter's brush all over her apricot cheeks； with a saddle across the bridge of her tiny； pert nose。 It was her mouth that was the beautiful part of her。 And if the rest of her face was not quite up to its matchless beauty； that mouth alone was sufficient to make her lovely…looking； unaided； drawing all notice to itself as it did。 Just as a single light is enough to make a plain room bright； you don't have to have a whole chandelier。 When it smiled； everything else smiled with it Her nose crinkled； and her eyebrows arched； and her eyes creased； and dimples showed up where there hadn't been any a minute before。 She looked as though she smiled a lot。 She looked as though she had a lot to smile about。
She continually toyed with a wedding…band on her third finger。 Caressed it； so to speak； fondled it。 She was probably unconscious of doing so by this time； it must have bee a fixed habit by now。 But originally； months ago； when it was first there； when it was new there； she must have taken such a fierce pride in it that she'd felt the need for continually displaying it to all the world…as if to say； 〃Look at me！ Look what I've got！ 〃…must have held such an affection for it that she couldn't keep her hands off it for very long。 And now； though pride and affection were in nowise less； this had formed itself into a winning little habit that persisted。 No matter what move her hands made； no matter what gesture they expressed； it always managed to e uppermost； to be foremost in the beholder's eye。
It had a row of diamonds； and then a sapphire at each end for a stop。 She caught her new seat…mate's glance resting upon it； so then she turned it around her way a little more； so she could see it all the better； gave it a pert little brush…off with her fingers； as if to dispel the last； lingering； hypothetical grain of dust。 A brush…off that pretended she didn't care any more about it just then。 Just as her attitude toward him pretended she didn't care anything about him either。 A brush…off that lied like the very devil。
They were both chatting away absorbedly； as new…found friends do； by the time he reappeared some ten minutes later。 He came up to them acting secretive and mysterious in a rather conspicuous way。 He looked cautiously left and right first； as if bearing tidings of highest secrecy。 Then screened the side of his mouth with the edge of one hand。 Then leaned down and whispered； 〃Pat； one of the porters just tipped me off。 They're going to open up the dining…car in a couple of minutes。 Special； inside； advance information。 You know what that'll mean in this mob。 I think we better start moving up that way if we want to get in under the rope on the first shift。 There'll be a stampede under way as soon as word gets around。〃
She jumped to her feet with alacrity。
He immediately soft…pedalled her with the flats of both hands； in ic intensity。 〃Sh！ Don't give it away！ What are you trying to do？ Act indifferent。 Act as if you weren't going anywhere in particular； were just getting up to stretch your legs。〃
She smothered an impish chuckle。 〃When I'm going to the dining…car； I just can't act as if I weren't going anywhere in particular。 It stands out all over me。 You're lucky if you hold me down to a twenty…yard dash。〃 But to oblige his ideas of Machiavellian duplicity； she exaggeratedly arched her feet and tiptoed out into the aisle； as though the amount of noise she made had any relation to what they were trying to do。
In passing； she pulled persuasively at the sleeve of the girl beside her。 〃e on。 You're ing with us； aren't you？〃 she whispered conspiratorially。
〃What about the seats？ We'll lose them； won't we？〃
〃Not if we put our baggage on them。 Here； like this。〃 She raised the other girl's valise； which had been standing there in the aisle until now； and between them they planked it lengthwise across the seat； effectively blocking it。
The girl was on her feet now； dislodged by the valise； but she still hung back； hesitant about going with them。
The young wife seemed to understand； she was quick that way。 She sent him on ahead； out of earshot； to break trail for them。 Then turned to her recent seat…mate in tactful reassurance。 〃Don't worry about…anything； he'll look after everything。〃 And then； making confidantes of the two of them about this； to minimize the other's embarrassment； she promised her： 〃I'll see that he does。 That's what they're for； anyway。〃
The girl tried to falter an insincere denial； that only proved the surmise had been right 〃No； it isn't that…I d