The fifth of June arriving, the Finchleys departed as Sondra had indicated, but not without a most urgent requestfrom her that he be prepared to come to the Cranstons' either the second or third week-end following--she toadvise him definitely later--a departure which so affected Clyde that he could scarcely think what to do withhimself in her absence, depressed as he was by the tangle which Roberta's condition presented. And exactly atthis time also, Roberta's fears and demands had become so urgent that it was really no longer possible for him toassure her that if she would but wait a little while longer, he would be prepared to act in her behalf. Plead as hemight, her case, as she saw it, was at last critical and no longer to be trifled with in any way. Her figure, as sheinsisted (although this was largely imaginative on her part), had altered to such an extent that it would not bepossible for her longer to conceal it, and all those who worked with her at the factory were soon bound to know.
She could no longer work or sleep with any comfort--she must not stay here any more. She was havingpreliminary pains--purely imaginary ones in her case. He must marry her now, as he had indicated he would, andleave with her at once--for some place--any place, really--near or far--so long as she was extricated from thispresent terrible danger. And she would agree, as she now all but pleaded, to let him go his way again as soon astheir child was born--truly--and would not ask any more of him ever--ever. But now, this very week--not laterthan the fifteenth at the latest--he must arrange to see her through with this as he had promised.
But this meant that he would be leaving with her before ever he should have visited Sondra at Twelfth Lake atall, and without ever seeing her any more really. And, besides, as he so well knew, he had not saved the sumnecessary to make possible the new venture on which she was insisting. In vain it was that Roberta nowexplained that she had saved over a hundred, and they could make use of that once they were married or to helpin connection with whatever expenses might be incurred in getting to wherever he should decide they weregoing. All that he would see or feel was that this meant the loss of everything to him, and that he would have togo away with her to some relatively near-by place and get work at anything he could, in order to support her asbest he might. But the misery of such a change! The loss of all his splendid dreams. And yet, racking his brains,he could think of nothing better than that she should quit and go home for the time being, since as he nowargued, and most shrewdly, as he thought, he needed a few more weeks to prepare for the change which wasupon them both. For, in spite of all his efforts, as he now falsely asserted, he had not been able to save as muchas he had hoped. He needed at least three or four more weeks in which to complete the sum, which he had beenlooking upon as advisable in the face of this meditated change. Was not she herself guessing, as he knew, that itcould not be less than a hundred and fifty or two hundred dollars--quite large sums in her eyes--whereas, abovehis current salary, Clyde had no more than forty dollars and was dreaming of using that and whatever else hemight secure in the interim to meet such expenses as might be incurred in the anticipated visit to Twelfth Lake.
But to further support his evasive suggestion that she now return to her home for a short period, he added thatshe would want to fix herself up a little, wouldn't she? She couldn't go away on a trip like this, which involvedmarriage and a change of social contacts in every way, without some improvements in her wardrobe. Why nottake her hundred dollars or a part of it anyhow and use it for that? So desperate was his state that he evensuggested that. And Roberta, who, in the face of her own uncertainty up to this time as to what was to become ofher had not ventured to prepare or purchase anything relating either to a trousseau or layette, now began to thinkthat whatever the ulterior purpose of his suggestion, which like all the others was connected with delay, it mightnot be unwise even now if she did take a fortnight or three weeks, and with the assistance of an inexpensive andyet tolerable dressmaker, who had aided her sister at times, make at least one or two suitable dresses--a floweredgray taffeta afternoon dress, such as she had once seen in a movie, in which, should Clyde keep his word, she could be married. To match this pleasing little costume, she planned to add a chic little gray silk hat--pokeshaped,with pink or scarlet cherries nestled up under the brim, together with a neat little blue serge travelingsuit, which, with brown shoes and a brown hat, would make her as smart as any bride. The fact that suchpreparations as these meant additional delay and expense, or that Clyde might not marry her after all, or that thisproposed marriage from the point of view of both was the tarnished and discolored thing that it was, was still notsufficient to take from the thought of marriage as an event, or sacrament even, that proper color and romancewith which it was invested in her eyes and from which, even under such an unsatisfactory set of circumstances asthese, it could not be divorced. And, strangely enough, in spite of all the troubled and strained relations that haddeveloped between them, she still saw Clyde in much the same light in which she had seen him at first. He was aGriffiths, a youth of genuine social, if not financial distinction, one whom all the girls in her position, as well asmany of those far above her, would be delighted to be connected with in this way--that is, via marriage. He mightbe objecting to marrying her, but he was a person of consequence, just the same. And one with whom, if hewould but trouble to care for her a little, she could be perfectly happy. And at any rate, once he had loved her.
And it was said of men--some men, anyway (so she had heard her mother and others say) that once a child waspresented to them, it made a great difference in their attitude toward the mother, sometimes. They came to likethe mother, too. Anyhow for a little while--a very little while--if what she had agreed to were strictly observed,she would have him with her to assist her through this great crisis--to give his name to her child--to aid her untilshe could once more establish herself in some way.
For the time being, therefore, and with no more plan than this, although with great misgivings and nervousqualms, since, as she could see, Clyde was decidedly indifferent, she rested on this. And it was in this mood thatfive days later, and after Roberta had written to her parents that she was coming home for two weeks at least, toget a dress or two made and to rest a little, because she was not feeling very well, that Clyde saw her off for herhome in Biltz, riding with her as far as Fonda. But in so far as he was concerned, and since he had really nodefinite or workable idea, it seemed important to him that only silence, SILENCE was the great and all essentialthing now, so that, even under the impending edge of the knife of disaster, he might be able to think more, andmore, and more, without being compelled to do anything, and without momentarily being tortured by the thoughtthat Roberta, in some nervous or moody or frantic state, would say or do something which, assuming that heshould hit upon some helpful thought or plan in connection with Sondra, would prevent him from executing it.
And about the same time, Sondra was writing him gay notes from Twelfth Lake as to what he might expect uponhis arrival a little later. Blue water--white sails--tennis--golf-horseback riding--driving. She had it all arrangedwith Bertine, as she said. And kisses--kisses--kisses