"
"No," said Amanda, "it isn't so easy as that."
She seemed to come to a decision.
"Pip," she said. "I want to talk to--HIM--alone."
Easton's brown eyes were filled with distress and perplexity. "But
why?" he asked.
"I do," she said.
"But this is a thing for US."
"Pip, I want to talk to him alone. There is something--something I
can't say before you. . . ."
Sir Philip rose slowly to his feet.
"Shall I wait outside?"
"No, Pip. Go home. Yes,--there are some things you must leave to
me."
She stood up too and turned so that she and Benham both faced the
younger man. The strangest uneasiness mingled with his resolve to
be at any cost splendid. He felt--and it was a most unexpected and
disconcerting feeling--that he was no longer confederated with
Amanda; that prior, more fundamental and greater associations
prevailed over his little new grip upon her mind and senses. He
stared at husband and wife aghast in this realization. Then his
resolute romanticism came to his help. "I would trust you--" he
began. "If you tell me to go--"
Amanda seemed to measure her hold upon him.
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