"I don't want to
deceive him, to appear a bit better than I am."
"Oh, you'd rather lose him!" said Kitty almost savagely. "Knowing how
hard it is to keep a man under the best circumstances, you'd willingly
make the circumstances as bad as they can be--is that it? Besides,
weren't you sorry afterwards that you wrote that letter?"
"Yes, yes, desperately sorry."
"And you wished often that your real self had written on Derby Day and
not the scratch-cat you were then?"
Mona flushed, but answered bravely, "Yes, a thousand times."
"What business had you to show him your cat-self, your unreal, not your
real self on Derby Day five years ago? Wasn't it your duty to show him
your real self?"
Mona nodded helplessly. "Yes, I know it was."
"Then isn't it your duty to see that your real self speaks in that letter
now?"
"I want him to know me exactly as I am, and then--"
Kitty made a passionate gesture. Was ever such an uncomprehending woman
as this diamond-button of a wife?
"And then you would be unhappy ever after instead of being happy ever
after. What is the good of prejudicing your husband against you by
telling the unnecessary truth. He is desperate, and besides, he has been
away from you for five years, and we all change somehow--particularly
men, when there are so many women in the world, and very pretty women of
all ages and kinds and colours and tastes, and dazzling, deceitful
hussies too.
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