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Conrad, Joseph, 1857-1924

"Chance"

At
any rate she caught an expression on his face which frightened her. But
not enough to make her run. And indeed it would have had to be something
incredibly awful to scare into a run a girl who had come to the end of
her courage to live.
As if encouraged by this glance over the shoulder Captain Anthony came up
boldly, and now that he was by her side, she felt his nearness
intimately, like a touch. She tried to disregard this sensation. But
she was not angry with him now. It wasn't worth while. She was thankful
that he had the sense not to ask questions as to this crying. Of course
he didn't ask because he didn't care. No one in the world cared for her,
neither those who pretended nor yet those who did not pretend. She
preferred the latter.
Captain Anthony opened for her a gate into another field; when they got
through he kept walking abreast, elbow to elbow almost. His voice
growled pleasantly in her very ear. Staying in this dull place was
enough to give anyone the blues. His sister scribbled all day. It was
positively unkind. He alluded to his nieces as rude, selfish monkeys,
without either feelings or manners.


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