"Forgive you? Forgive you what?"
"The years of suffering. The years you've had to spend with
her. With that horrible woman--"
"Don't--" He sucked his breath between his teeth. His face
had gone haggard again. Fanny, direct as always, made
up her mind that she would have it all. And now.
"There's something you haven't told me. Tell me all of it.
You're my brother and I'm your sister. We're all we have in
the world." And at that, as though timed by some miraculous
and supernatural stage manager, there came a cry from the
next room; a sleepy, comfortable, imperious little cry.
Mizzi had awakened. Fanny made a step in the direction of
the door. Then she turned back. "Tell me why Olga didn't
come. Why isn't she here with her husband and baby?"
"Because she's with another man."
"Another--"
"It had been going on for a long time. I was the last to
know about it. It's that way, always, isn't it? He's an
officer. A fool. He'll have to take off his silly corsets
now, and his velvet collar, and his shiny boots, and go to
war.
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