Читать книгу The Complete Works of Algernon Blackwood. Novels, Short Stories, Horror Classics, Occult & Supernatural Tales, Plays онлайн

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'Isn't it time now to stop writing all those Reports, and to take off your dressing-up things?' she asked with decision.

Paul stopped abruptly and tried to disengage his hand, but she held him so tightly that he could not escape without violence.

'What dressing-up things are you talking about?' he asked, forcing a laugh which, he admitted himself, sounded quite absurd.

'All this pretending that you're so old, and don't know about things—I mean real things—our things.'

He searched as in a fever for the right words—words that should be true and wise, and safe—but before he could pick them out of the torrent of sentences that streamed through his mind, she had gone on again. She spoke calmly, but very gravely.

'We are so tired of helping to pretend with you; and we've been waiting patiently so long. Even Toby knows it's only 'sguise you put on to tease us.'

'Even Toby?' he repeated foolishly, avoiding her brilliant eyes.

'And it really isn't quite fair, you know. There are so very few that care—and understand—'