I saw at once on my arrival that Vera was not yet prepared to receive me
back into her friendship. And I saw, too, that she included Lawrence in
this ostracism. She sat there, stiff and cold, smiling and talking
simply because she was compelled, for politeness sake, to do so. She
would scarcely speak to me at all, and when I saw this I turned and
devoted myself to Uncle Ivan, who was always delighted to make me a
testing-ground for his English.
But poor Jerry! Had I not been so anxious lest a scene should burst upon
us all I could have laughed at the humour of it. Vera's attitude was a
complete surprise to him. He had not seen her during the preceding week,
and that absence from her had heightened his desire until it burnt his
very throat with its flame. One glance from her, when he came in, would
have contented him. He could have rested then, happily, quietly; but
instead of that glance she had avoided his eye, her hand was cold and
touched his only for an instant. She had not spoken to him again after
the first greeting. I am sure that he had never known a time when his
feelings threatened to be too much for him.
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