Speaker 1: Chapter seven of Wired Love by Ella Chieva Theya. This
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Good Bye. It
Speaker 1: was a very long face that Natty carried to the
Speaker 1: Hotel Norman that night, so long that Miss Kling at
Speaker 1: once saw that something was amiss, and while curiously wondering
Speaker 1: as to the cause, took a grim satisfaction in the fact.
Speaker 1: And Miss Kling liked not to see cheerful faces. Why
Speaker 1: should others be happy when she had not found her
Speaker 1: mother self. Natty's first act, on gaining her own room
Speaker 1: was to drag forth that carefully preserved pen and ink
Speaker 1: sketch and tear it to atoms, annihilating the chubby Cupid
Speaker 1: with especial care. And now, she thought to herself savagely,
Speaker 1: as she burned up the pieces, I never will be
Speaker 1: interested in people again unless I know all about them.
Speaker 1: Imagination is too dangerous a guide for me. Having thus
Speaker 1: exterminated the illustrated edition of her romance, Natty felt the
Speaker 1: necessity of unburdening her mind, her sorrow not being too
Speaker 1: deep for words, and with that object sought sin, a
Speaker 1: proceeding much disproved of by Miss Kling, who, knowing well
Speaker 1: that weakness of human nature that seeks a friendly bosom
Speaker 1: wherein to repose its sorrows, rightly surmised her lodge's destination
Speaker 1: and design, and decidedly objected to any one. Knowing more
Speaker 1: than she herself did. Natty found her friend at home,
Speaker 1: but to her vexation, not alone with her was Quimby,
Speaker 1: who had called in the untold hope of gleaning tidings
Speaker 1: of the young lady, who had, as he said to himself,
Speaker 1: flawed him. His confusion at the sight of her, remembering
Speaker 1: as he did the somewhat unusual circumstances of the last meeting,
Speaker 1: was indescribable. Indeed, his knees actually knocked together. Natty, however,
Speaker 1: whose latest experience had effaced the effect and almost the
Speaker 1: remember of that former one, bade him good evening without
Speaker 1: the least trace of consciousness or embarrassment, a composure of
Speaker 1: manner that astounded but at the same time burled him
Speaker 1: with admiration, as he did not take his departure, being
Speaker 1: in fact unable to tear himself away. Natty, in her
Speaker 1: anxiety to tell sin all that was in her mind,
Speaker 1: and reflecting that he really was of no consequence, an
Speaker 1: argument not mattering to its object, but one that he
Speaker 1: probably would have been first to endorse had he known it,
Speaker 1: and moreover, that he already knew the prolog disregarded his
Speaker 1: presence and said, the most incomprehensible thing has happened, Sin,
Speaker 1: I cannot realize it even now. Quimby quaked in his
Speaker 1: boots and grew hot all over with the fear that
Speaker 1: she was going to relate their evening's adventure. Could it
Speaker 1: be possible, May I knew that something was the met
Speaker 1: at the moment you entered the room? Said Sin. He
Speaker 1: cannot imagine why you should look as if you were
Speaker 1: giving into the grave digging business. Ah Sin, exclaimed Natty,
Speaker 1: as if the words hurt her. He see call on
Speaker 1: me to day. Quimby gave a bounce and then grew
Speaker 1: limp in all his joints. Is it portable? Personally, questioned
Speaker 1: Sin with great interest and animation. Then glancing at Natty's face,
Speaker 1: her tone changed as she added, he was not what
Speaker 1: you thought, I understand, poor ned. Quimby straightened himself up.
Speaker 1: He fancied he saw a gleam of hope ahead, far
Speaker 1: enough from what I thought, replied Natty with a mixture
Speaker 1: of pathos and disgust. Why did he not remain invisible? Then,
Speaker 1: in a burst of disappointment, Sin, he is simply awful,
Speaker 1: all red hair and grease musk, cheap jewelry and insolent assurance.
Speaker 1: Quimby glanced in the opposite glass and his face brightened
Speaker 1: all over. He felt like a new man. Oh, dear,
Speaker 1: is it as bad as that? Said Syinn, looking dismayed.
Speaker 1: He was so intening on the wire. I can hardly
Speaker 1: believe it. Are you quite sure it was sea? I
Speaker 1: could not realize it myself, but it is a fact. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: Natty answered sorrowfully, and then related what she termed the
Speaker 1: disgusting details. Sin listened, vexed and sorry for she too
Speaker 1: had become interested in the invisible sea. But Quimby found
Speaker 1: it impossible to restrain his joy at this complete overthrow
Speaker 1: of one whom he had ever considered a formidable rival.
Speaker 1: It's new use to talk about romance in real life,
Speaker 1: said the annoyed Sin, yielding to the conviction that the
Speaker 1: obnoxious visitor really was. See. As Natty concluded, it is
Speaker 1: nice to read about and to enact on the stage,
Speaker 1: but altogether too unreliable. For a solid every day world. Well, dear, consolingly.
Speaker 2: It's better to hear the truth than to have gone
Speaker 2: on blindly talking to so undesirable an acquaintance. For ignorance
Speaker 2: is bliss, tis folly to be wise, write it, Natty,
Speaker 2: with a shrug of her shoulders. But yes, I suppose
Speaker 2: I ought to be glad.
Speaker 1: I know the worst. I beg pardon, But I think
Speaker 1: I hinted it might be as it has proved, you know,
Speaker 1: said Quimby, trying not to look triumphant and failing signally.
Speaker 1: Not particularly pleased at having his superior discernment thus pointed out,
Speaker 1: Natty replied, rather shortly, it was luck and chance anyway,
Speaker 1: and it was my luck to stumble on the most
Speaker 1: disagreeable specimen in the business, that is all. Do you
Speaker 1: suppose he is aware of the impression he produced on you,
Speaker 1: asked Sin. No, indeed, Natty replied scornfully. Is there anything
Speaker 1: so blind as vulgar ignorant self conceit? I have no
Speaker 1: doubt he thinks I was charmed. Then now will you marriage?
Speaker 1: When he wants to talk on the wire again, asked Sin,
Speaker 1: I shall have to make excuses until he takes the hint,
Speaker 1: oh dear, said Natty with a sigh. I believe it
Speaker 1: is impossible to get any comfort out of this world.
Speaker 1: Oh no, it isn't, said Sin in her bright, cheering manner.
Speaker 2: The way he to do is not to allow ourselves
Speaker 2: to flit over what we can't help. I'm almost as
Speaker 2: disappointed as your dear over this total collapse of what opens,
Speaker 2: Sue interestingly. But the curtain has fallen on the ignominious
Speaker 2: last act of our little drama. So farewell, a long
Speaker 2: farewell to our wired romance. As Sin spoke, the somewhat
Speaker 2: unmusical voice of joe Norton was heard in the hall,
Speaker 2: singing an air from a popular belesque, followed by the
Speaker 2: appearance among them of Joey himself. Of course, the whole
Speaker 2: story had to be related for his benefit, and very
Speaker 2: little sympathy did Natty receive from him. Let us teach
Speaker 2: you a lesson, young lady, he said, with mock solemnity, namely,
Speaker 2: attend to your business and let romance alone. As you do,
Speaker 2: said Sin, As I do, he echoed, and consequently be
Speaker 2: appy as I am. I tell you, romance is sentiment.
Speaker 1: And love and all that bosh are at the bottom
Speaker 1: of two thirds of all a misery in the word,
Speaker 1: notwithstanding which sage remark, and the fact of the curtain
Speaker 1: having fallen on the end as since said, for a
Speaker 1: moment yesterday was as if it had never been. When
Speaker 1: Natty entered her office the next morning and was greeted
Speaker 1: with the familiar b M, b M, b M. Where
Speaker 1: is my little girl at b M? To say good
Speaker 1: morning to me? And she made an involuntary movement towards
Speaker 1: the key to respond in the usual way. The remembrance
Speaker 1: of the actual state of things checked her just in time,
Speaker 1: and then, with a rather uncertain and tremulous touch of
Speaker 1: the key, she answered, good morning. Wait, I'm busy. One untruth,
Speaker 1: she thought to herself, as Sea became mute. Not the
Speaker 1: only one. I shall have to tell, I fear before
Speaker 1: I succeed in conveying my exact meaning to the understanding
Speaker 1: of the person, I will pick a quarrel if possible,
Speaker 1: and he persists in talking. Oh, dear, I could have
Speaker 1: endured the red hair, those dreadful teeth had it not
Speaker 1: been for the bear's grease and general vulgarity of the creature. Well,
Speaker 1: it's all over now, and she sighed, from which it
Speaker 1: may be inferred that Joe's admonitions had not been of
Speaker 1: much consolation to her. We do not take the lessons
Speaker 1: our experience teaches us to heart immediately first, where business
Speaker 1: must be overcome. To Natty's great relief, the wire happened
Speaker 1: to be very busy that morning, but whenever it was possible,
Speaker 1: she called her and called in vain immediately after her
Speaker 1: return from dinner. However, having just received and signed for
Speaker 1: a message See the moment she closed her key, said
Speaker 1: where have you been to day? Are you not glad
Speaker 1: to have me back again? Cannot be, I am so
Speaker 1: soon forgotten. Unable to avoid answering, Natty responded on the
Speaker 1: wrong side of truth again, have been busy? Wait? Please
Speaker 1: her customer here, I cannot help saying, confound the luck
Speaker 1: See responded savagely, to which Anathama nat He turned up
Speaker 1: her nose scornfully and made no reply. The nervous dread
Speaker 1: of his calling that was upon her all day caused
Speaker 1: her to make more blunders than she had ever done
Speaker 1: in all her telegraphic career. She gave wrong change continually,
Speaker 1: none but her messages incorrectly, and broke so much that
Speaker 1: the operator who sent to her had a headache with
Speaker 1: ill humor, usually very quick at deciphering the illegible scrawls
Speaker 1: often handed her for transmission, she to day was frowned
Speaker 1: at for her stupidity in making them out, and one
Speaker 1: lady to whom a message was sent through Poor Natty's office,
Speaker 1: was much exercised on receiving it to learn over an
Speaker 1: unknown gentleman's signature that he would be with her at midnight.
Speaker 1: He really was her husband, but Natty had transmitted the
Speaker 1: name the writing looked most like, which was one very
Speaker 1: remote from the real one. All these mistakes she laid
Speaker 1: at sea's door and grew more disgusted with him accordingly,
Speaker 1: especially when she counted her cash and found herself a
Speaker 1: dollar short. She managed, however, by frequent excuses to get
Speaker 1: along without holding any conversation with him, until the latter
Speaker 1: part of the afternoon, when the wire not being in
Speaker 1: use and business slacking up. He called persistently, savagely, and entreatingly,
Speaker 1: all of which phases can be expressed in dots and dashes,
Speaker 1: interspersing the call with such expressions as please answer en,
Speaker 1: where are you n why will you treat us a
Speaker 1: poor fellow who thinks so much of you, I should
Speaker 1: think he might take a hint. Must I tell him
Speaker 1: in plain words that a personal inspection leads me to
Speaker 1: decline the honor of farther acquaintance when too, he particularly
Speaker 1: requested me not to mention his visit over the wire,
Speaker 1: thought Natty. And then as he continued to call, she
Speaker 1: arose impatiently and answered shortly, b M, you naughty little girl.
Speaker 1: Immediately responded, C Where have you been all day? Is
Speaker 1: it thus you treat me on my return? And I
Speaker 1: expected you would be glad to see me again. I
Speaker 1: have been busy, Natty replied, briefly, with a repetition for platitude,
Speaker 1: and cringing at the same time as the first of
Speaker 1: his remark as she recalled his toute ensemble. So you
Speaker 1: have said every time I have called, she answered, apparently
Speaker 1: entirely unconscious of the possible reason. What is the cause?
Speaker 1: You never used to be busy always? You know how
Speaker 1: different he is on the wire from what he is
Speaker 1: in reality, thought Natty, with a return of her first disappointment,
Speaker 1: and how hard it is to merge the two in one.
Speaker 1: But she answered, there is the first time for everything. Besides,
Speaker 1: I have not felt like talking to day. Not with me,
Speaker 1: queried se No, replied Natty briefly, and to the point,
Speaker 1: see held his key open a moment. I do not
Speaker 1: understand it, he said at last. It isn't possible that
Speaker 1: I have done anything to offend you. Only offend me
Speaker 1: with the sight of you, thought Natty, but unwilling to
Speaker 1: be really impolite, replied, certainly not. You are not angry
Speaker 1: about yesterday, are you, pursued se certainly not, repeated Natty,
Speaker 1: adding to herself A faint idea that I did not
Speaker 1: exactly fall in love with you? Is keeping into your
Speaker 1: red head? Is it? If I have done anything? I
Speaker 1: beg you to tell me what for. I am ignorant
Speaker 1: of it, and I assure you I am penitent and
Speaker 1: that I forgive you, continued se Any. Please don't be
Speaker 1: cross with me. Natty saw her opportunity for picking a
Speaker 1: quarrel and seized it. I do not know what you
Speaker 1: mean by my being cross, he said. I am sure
Speaker 1: I was not aware that I was obliged to talk
Speaker 1: to any one unless I felt like it. I am
Speaker 1: not in the mood to day, and I will not
Speaker 1: be forced you have no right to call me cross.
Speaker 1: And when I am in the humor to talk with
Speaker 1: you again, I will let you know very well, se
Speaker 1: replied promptly, undoubtedly angry himself. Now I will wait your pleasure,
Speaker 1: and then was mute. It has not been quite so
Speaker 1: gradual as I intended. But I think I have effectually
Speaker 1: settled the matter, and my mind is relieved, thought Natty.
Speaker 1: Yet she sighed, and her satisfaction was followed by depression,
Speaker 1: for with Sea departed the pleasantest part of her office life,
Speaker 1: a fact she could not disguise in the week that followed.
Speaker 1: When c, true to his word, waited saying nothing, she
Speaker 1: mist can tinually the sympathy, the gay talk, the companionship
Speaker 1: that had made the constantly occurring annoyances endurable, and the
Speaker 1: days that dragged so now seemed short. The office business
Speaker 1: did not fill half her time, and the constant confinement
Speaker 1: began to be irksome to her whose nature demanded activity.
Speaker 1: In consequence, she often grew impatient and answered unnecessary questions
Speaker 1: of customers with a shortness that gave considerable offense. And
Speaker 1: had it not been for Sin who brought her sunny
Speaker 1: presence quite often into the office, heedless of the no
Speaker 1: admittance on the door. The monotony that had now displaced
Speaker 1: the romantic side of telegraphy would have plunged to Natty
Speaker 1: among the shadows almost constantly. Of course, the sudden cessation
Speaker 1: of the intimacy between C and N was a theme
Speaker 1: of much surprise and bantering comments along the line, especially
Speaker 1: from E. M. But these facetious remarks gradually became fewer
Speaker 1: as the wonder subsided. One day, nearly two weeks after
Speaker 1: the collapse, Natty was surprised to hear the old familiar
Speaker 1: B M B M B M x N. Wondering if
Speaker 1: he had grown tired of waiting and was about to
Speaker 1: attempt to renewal of their former friendship, Natty rather impatiently answered,
Speaker 1: but it proved he had a message, an occurrent quite
Speaker 1: infrequent with him. This she sent without unnecessary words. But
Speaker 1: after she had given O K and closed her key,
Speaker 1: he opened hears to say, pleased any one to make up?
Speaker 1: Then I have nothing to make up, Natty replied. O
Speaker 1: K was Sue's response as he again subsided. He snubs easily,
Speaker 1: thought Natty much relieved. The following Saturday night, however, as
Speaker 1: she was taking in from her shaft outside the blanks
Speaker 1: ink and bad pens that excited the ire of irascible customers.
Speaker 1: Preparatory to closing, See once more called, with a devout
Speaker 1: hope that he was not going to be annoying. Natty answered,
Speaker 1: notwithstanding the late coolness between us, which was not my
Speaker 1: fault and for which I cannot account. He began, and
Speaker 1: then someone with a rush message broke in. What is
Speaker 1: he coming at now, I wonder, commenced with a great
Speaker 1: display of words, thought Natty curiously, and then, with a
Speaker 1: little curl of her lip, a sentence out of some book,
Speaker 1: I suppose. But as soon as the wire was quiet,
Speaker 1: she said to See please g a account. I couldn't
Speaker 1: not leave as I am about to do to night
Speaker 1: without saying good bye in remembrance of our former pleasant intercourse, concluded,
Speaker 1: C you mean you are leaving permanently, queried Natty, surprised, Yes,
Speaker 1: this is my last day here Monday, I leave town,
Speaker 1: and so with much regret that anything unpleasant should have
Speaker 1: interrupted our acquaintance. Although what it was, I assure you
Speaker 1: I do not know, since you deain me no explanation
Speaker 1: I will say, not as I would once a revoir.
Speaker 1: But good bye, good bye, answered Natty, begetting for the
Speaker 1: moment everything but see the old sea, the sea who
Speaker 1: had enlivened so many hours, and about whom had dwelt
Speaker 1: that romantic mystery. Good Bye. Believe me, I shall always
Speaker 1: remember the many social talks we have enjoyed. Possibly we
Speaker 1: might enjoy them again, if you desired, She said then,
Speaker 1: as if he gave her a chance for explanation or
Speaker 1: to express such a wish. But Natty, recalling now the
Speaker 1: bear's grease, the musk, cheap jewelry, and their obnoxious possessor,
Speaker 1: answered only good bye. End of Chapter seven