Why, I'm
perfectly willing to shock her--it's more interesting than talking
to her as an equal--but I merely told the truth. You never in the
world would have robbed me of the faithful Tiddy who now crawls at
your feet, if he hadn't seen John and Clarence running frantically
in your direction."
That principle, it dawned on Joy, could be extended. Probably John
and Clarence kept each other interested. There was a great deal to
learn about men, but on the other hand, there seemed to be a few
broad elementary rules to follow--if you were the kind of person who
could be cold-blooded enough to follow them.
"But don't you ever feel badly when you think how they get hurt?"
she asked Gail a little timidly.
"Everybody gets hurt once or twice that way," said Gail placidly. "I
might as well have the satisfaction of doing it as some other girl."
She looked reflectively across at her week-end man, who was just now
wrestling with his solo, and obviously wanted to get back to her.
"Besides--if you don't hurt _you_ get hurt.... Oh, I was a
good, sweet, unselfish, considerate young thing once. I wasted much
valuable time trying to be as nice as I could be.... Then _I_
got hurt, and I decided that there wasn't anything in this
consideration game. People seem to like me just as well now I'm
perfectly selfish as they did when I wasn't."
She laughed a little again, and lifted an eyebrow imperceptibly
toward Private Willis, who promptly lost a bar of his solo.
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