Part 33 (1/2)
”You will have sonored both the chair and the invitation She was looking about her, and her face was dark with anger The little rooht, and with all the evidences of well being Annabel was conscious then of the slow anger which had been burning within her since the night of her visit to the ”Unusual” Her voice trembled with suppressed passion
”I have come for an explanation,” she said ”You are an is?”
Anna looked at her sister in blank amazement
”Annabel!” she exclaimed ”Why, what is the hed scornfully
”Oh, you know,” she said ”Don't be a hypocrite You are not 'Alcide'
You have no right to call yourself 'Alcide' You used to declare that you hated the naive it all up, never to go near the 'Aain And yet the moment I am safely out of the way you are content to dress yourself in et yourself popular and admired and successful, all on my reputation”
”Annabel! Annabel!”
Annabel stamped her foot Her tone was hoarse with passion
”Oh, you can act!” she cried ”You can look as innocent and shocked as you please I want to knoho sent you those”
She pointed with shaking fingers to a great bunch of dark red carnations, thrust carelessly into a deep china bowl, to which the card was still attached Anna followed her finger, and looked back into her sister's face
”They were sent to el Ennison, Annabel How on earth does it concern you?”
Annabel laughed hardly
”Concern me!” she repeated fiercely ”You are not content then with stealing from me my name You would steal froers about They are not your flowers
They are mine! They were sent to 'Alcide' not to you”
Anna rose to her feet At last she was roused Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes bright
”Annabel,” she said, ”you are my sister, or I would bid you take the flowers if you care for thes which you have said toYou speak as one injured--as though I had been the one to take your nah you had been the one to make sacrifices In your heart you know very well that this is absurd It is you who took my name, not I yours It is I who took the burden of your hall It is I who am persecuted by the man who calls himself your husband”
Annabel shi+vered a little and looked around her
”He does not come here,” she exclaimed, quickly
”He spends hours of every day on the pave this--for your sake Shall I send him to Sir John?”
Annabel hite to the lips, but her anger was not yet spent
”It was your own fault,” she exclaimed ”He would never have found you out if you had not personated me”
”On the contrary,” Anna whispered quietly, ”we ”
”You have not told me yet,” Annabel said, ”how it is that you have dared to personate estures, your voice, all et,” Anna said calmly, ”that it is necessary forless than five pounds in ton you know of I was the black sheep, I was hurried out of the way You did not complain then that I personated you--no, nor when Sir John came to me in Paris, and for your sake I lied”
”You did not----”