Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen

Michael thought he had a great sense of humor.On the Sunday evening after his talk with Dolly he strolled into Julia's room as she was dressing.They were going to have an early dinner and go out to the movies. Who else is there tonight besides Charles?he asked her. I can't find another woman.I called Tom. good!I was just about to meet him. He thought of the joke hidden in his stomach, and laughed dumbly.Julia looked forward to that night.In the movie theater, she would arrange for Tom to sit next to her so that he could hold her hand while she chatted quietly with Charles on the other side.My dear Charles, he had admired her so long and so devotedly, and had been especially kind to him in particular.

Charles and Tom arrive together.Tom was wearing his new evening dress for the first time, and he and Julia exchanged small secret glances, his satisfaction, her greeting. Hey boy, said Michael brightly, rubbing his hands together, you know what I hear people say about you?I hear you are discrediting my wife. Tom looked at him in surprise and flushed.The habit of blushing was bitter to him, but he could not get rid of it. Oh, my dear, exclaimed Julia, laughing, how wonderful!All my life I've been trying to find someone to discredit me.Who told you that, Michael? A little bird (note), he said mischievously.

(Note) There is a saying "A little bird told me" in spoken English, which literally translates to "A little bird told me."Means someone told me privately or I heard. Well, Tom, if Michael divorces me, you have to marry me, you know. Charles smiled, squinting his mild, rather melancholy eyes. What have you done, Tom?he asks. The young man's apparent embarrassment amused Charles with a heavy heart, and Michael cried out with amusement.Julia, though she seemed to share their amusement, was alert and cautious. Well, it looks like the kid took Julia to a nightclub when she was supposed to be sleeping peacefully in bed.

Julia beamed with joy. Are we still in denial, or are we cheeky to say yes, Tom? Well, I'll tell you what I said to the little bird, Michael cut in and I told her that since Julia didn't want me to go to the nightclub with her Julia stopped listening to him.Dolly, she thought; it was odd that she had exactly the same word Michael had used two days before to describe her in her head.The servant came to announce that supper was ready, and their witty conversation turned to other topics.Julia, though beamingly engaged in the conversation, seemed absorbed in her guest, and even expressed interest in listening to Michael's stories about the theater world, which she had heard twenty times, secretly had a lively conversation with Dolly.She was outspoken with Dolly what she thought of her, and Dolly shuddered in her presence.

You old cow, she said to her, how dare you meddle in my private affairs?No, don't open your mouth.Don't justify yourself.I know all about what you said to Michael.This is inexcusable.I thought of you as my friend.I always thought I could trust you as much as I could.Well, it's all over now.I will never talk to you again.never.never.Do you think I care about your filthy money?Humph, you don't need to say that you didn't mean it.If you hadn't relied on me, I would like to know what fame you would have achieved.The little fame you get, the only importance you have in this world, is what you got by being lucky enough to know me.Who has made the parties you have hosted over the years so popular?Do you think people come to see you?They came to see me.Never again.never.

This is actually a monologue rather than a conversation. Later, in the movie theater, she sat next to Tom as she intended and held his hand, but he seemed to her to be uncharacteristically unresponsive.That hand was like a shark's fin.She guessed that he was pondering what Michael had said with unease.She wished she could have a chance to speak to him so that he would not have to worry.After all, no one handled the situation as if nothing had happened more tactfully than she.As if nothing happened; that's it. She wondered what exactly Dolly had said to Michael.She better figure it out.Asking Michael would not work, it would seem too serious for her; she would have to get it out of Dolly herself.The best policy should be not to quarrel with her.Julia could not help smiling at the thought of what she was going to do with Dolly.She would be extremely gentle, she would coax her into telling the truth without her even knowing that she was burning with anger.

It was strange how she felt a chill run down her spine at the thought of people talking about her.After all, if she can't do what she wants, who can?No one else cares about her private life.Still, she couldn't deny that it wouldn't be great if people were laughing at her behind her back.She wondered what would happen if Michael found out the truth.It was unlikely that he would continue to be her manager after divorcing her.If he had any brains, he should have closed his eyes.But there's something funny about Michael; there's something about him that pops up and puts on his colonel airs now and then.He'd probably say suddenly, God damn it, he'd have to act like a gentleman in every way.Men are that stupid; there is not one among them who does not take advantage of a moment's fire and turn against himself. .Of course it didn't really matter to her.She could go to America and play for a year, until the scandal subsides, and find someone else to run it with.But that's troublesome enough.

Besides, Roger had to be considered; he would feel, poor dear; he would be humiliated, that was natural; Divorcing a three-year-old boy will be regarded as a complete idiot.Of course she wouldn't be so stupid as to marry Tom.Will Charles marry her?She turned her head and looked at his noble silhouette in the half-light.He's been madly infatuated with her for years; he's one of those chivalrous idiots a woman can throw around with a little finger; maybe he doesn't mind replacing Tom as co-defendant in divorce proceedings. i.e. as a third party in a divorce proceeding to destroy the family.).That would be a great solution.Be Charles.Lady of Tamerly.That sounds great.

Perhaps she had indeed been too rash.She was always very cautious when she went to Tom's flat, but perhaps one of the wadi cabbies saw her going in and out, and began to think wildly.What a dirty mind that man has.As for nightclubs, she would have liked to go with Tom to some secluded little place where no one would see them, but he didn't like it.He likes crowds, he wants to see trendy people and be seen.He likes to show her off. Damn it, she thought.Damn it.Damn it. Julia's evening at the cinema hadn't been as fun as she had expected.