Theatre by W Somerset Maugham

Author:W Somerset Maugham [W Somerset Maugham]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781407019840
Publisher: Random House

15

Julia did not wake till after eleven. Among her letters was one that had not come by post. She recognized Tom's neat, commercial hand and tore it open. It contained nothing but the four pounds and the ten-shilling note. She felt slightly sick. She did not quite know what she had expected him to reply to her condescending letter and the humiliating present. It had not occurred to her that he would return it. She was troubled, she had wanted to hurt his feelings, but she had a fear now that she had gone too far.

'Anyhow I hope he tipped the servants,' she muttered to reassure herself. She shrugged her shoulders. 'He'll come round. It won't hurt him to discover that I'm not all milk and honey.'

But she remained thoughtful throughout the day. When she got to the theatre a parcel was waiting for her. As soon as she looked at the address she knew what it contained. Evie asked if she should open it.

'No.'

But the moment she was alone she opened it herself. There were the cuff-links and the waistcoat buttons, the pearl studs, the wrist-watch and the cigarette-case of which Tom was so proud. Not a word of explanation. Her heart sank and she noticed that she was trembling.

'What a damned fool I was! Why didn't I keep my temper?'

Her heart now beat painfully. She couldn't go on the stage with that anguish gnawing at her vitals, she would give a frightful performance; at whatever cost she must speak to him. There was a telephone in his house and an extension to his room. She rang him. Fortunately he was in.

'Tom.'

'Yes?'

He had paused for a moment before answering and his voice was peevish.

'What does this mean? Why have you sent me all those things?

'Did you get the notes this morning?'

'Yes. I couldn't make head or tail of it. Have I offended you?'

'Oh no,' he answered. 'I like being treated like a kept boy. I like having it thrown in my face that even my tips have to be given me. I thought it rather strange that you didn't send me the money for a third-class ticket back to London.'

Although Julia was in a pitiable state of anxiety, so that she could hardly get the words out of her mouth, she almost smiled at his fatuous irony. He was a silly little thing.

'But you can't imagine that I wanted to hurt your feelings. You surely know me well enough to know that's the last thing I should do.'

'That only makes it worse.' ('Damn and curse,' thought Julia.) 'I ought never to have let you make me those presents. I should never have let you lend me money.'

'I don't know what you mean. It's all some horrible misunderstanding. Come and fetch me after the play and we'll have it out. I know I can explain.'

'I'm going to dinner with my people and I shall sleep at home.'

'To-morrow then.'

'I'm engaged to-morrow.'

'I must see you, Tom. We've been too much to one another to part like this.

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