Samh
9.29.1342 8:00
As soon as Geodor left Jeanilotta, he sent a
message to Theodomani asking him to visit the following day. Theodomani did not
disappoint. By 8:00 the next morning, he was waiting in the library. Geodor
decided to present himself in the most unthreatening way possible and arrived
in a silk dressing gown with a novel and coffee. Theodomani, who wanted to
challenge him, was thrown entirely off guard.
“It was hardly worth my while that I should become
your savior from that cold and vast expanse of space only to rob you afterward
of the affections of your lady-love. I confess I didn’t anticipate so great an
honor,” Geodor said, extending his hand with a smile.
"At least,” he replied, his face flushed with
anger, “You might have spared me your mirthfulness upon a subject, which has
destroyed any happiness that might have been mine. Prior to this event, I
regarded you as the embodiment of nobleness. You were my standard for all that
is great and good in the world. Now, I have been undeceived—” he said
dramatically. “I will no longer have confidence in anyone. Nothing but the
gratitude I owe you as the preserver of my life prevents me from challenging
you to a boxing match.”
“Ah, indeed!” replied Geodor with mock gravity.
“However, you forget my position—it would be impossible for me to accept.”
Theodomani was too angry to speak. He walked to
the window and began plucking the leaves from a beautiful exotic shrub in full
bloom. Geodor watched him for a moment. Suddenly, he realized what Theodomani
was doing. Springing up, he caught the hands of the young man, saying, “Come,
exhaust your anger upon me—not upon Lira’s poor rose. She’ll never forgive you,
and I will.”
“We have been engaged for almost three years,”
Theodomani said, tears welling up in his eyes. “In the very parlor where she
rejected me, we had declared our affection and pledged our mutual faith in each
other. To the best of my knowledge, she was previously always true to me. My
heart’s wildest dreams were more than realized in her unchanging, devoted love.
I would have sacrificed everything that makes life dear if she had but demanded
it—everything, except her love. I came to her last night to ask her to appoint
a date for our marriage, and she received me with coldness.” Geodor offered him
a handkerchief.
After a few moments blowing his nose, he
continued, “I won’t conceal from you that at times I have been jealous, but I
kept trying to convince myself I was wrong. Last night, she confessed that her
heart had not been as faithful as mine. She accused me of taking advantage of
her youth to secure our pledge! When I asked if the attention you recently paid
her was the reason for her change of heart, she stated that whether you were
the cause or not was none of my business. She said she was giving me back my
pledge and told me to make whatever inferences about it that I chose. At the
last, she refused to take my hand in parting.” Here, his voice broke, and he
again began to cry. Geodor rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Viscount Elwynalam,” Theodomani said, making an
intense effort to regain his self-control after a couple of minutes of silent
weeping, “will you please tell me why you desired my presence this morning?”
“Ah, that’s true. I had something to say,” Geodor
said, his voice instantly changing to one of heart-felt kindness and sympathy. “As
I’m not used to making mysteries where none are required, I’ll speak frankly about
Miss Gillfillian’s infatuation. Believe me, she is the only one who is
infatuated. I don’t love her nor am I attracted to her. However, her
eyes are dazzled, her judgment misled, and her
imagination excited by my title and my reported wealth. I know that she has no
feelings for me personally. Bereft of these external appendages, she is indifferent.”
“Are you sure of that?” asked Theodomani, a little
more calmly.
“Yes, I’m perfectly sure. But she has shown her
true colors. If she is willing to give up her true love, and I believe she
still has feelings for you, is she really worth losing sleep over? She has
imposed a life-long separation, has she not? She assured me that you weren’t to
visit again.”
“True,” replied the high-spirited lover heatedly.
“Well, I have a simple plan to propose to you.
Leave the city, and engage in some active employment or amusement to preserve
you from sadness. I plan to marry as soon as I can arrange it, but I promise
you I won’t marry Miss Gillfillian.”
“Then are you toying with her?!” exclaimed Theodomani
crossly.
Geodor’s clear eyes rested for a moment upon Theodomani
as a gentle, peculiar smile played about his mouth. With a low, solemn voice,
he said, “I never trifle with the human heart. Mine contains an image far too blessed
to admit another.”
“After you take a leave of absence, once I am no
longer available to her, one of two things will happen: Either you will find
you no longer can tolerate a woman who would discard you like that or she will
realize all she has lost and return to you.” After a moment’s pause, he asked,
“Do you have perfect confidence in my honor? Will you agree to leave this city?”
“With the greatest pleasure,” answered the happy Theodomani.
“I, of course, hope she will resume our relationship when I return.”
“You may change your mind before that time. However, with a little experience added to her present person, she may become a better wife for you if that is the path you eventually choose,” Geodor said, and they parted the best of friends.
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