I must congratulate you on your achievements.
Thanks,but they are nothing very extraordinary.A natural professional progress where there was no opposition.
There followed that want of words which will always assert itself between nominal friends who find they have ceased to be real ones,and have not yet sunk to the level of mere acquaintance.Each looked up and down the Park.Knight may possibly have borne in mind during the intervening months Stephens manner towards him the last time they had met,and may have encouraged his former interest in Stephens welfare to die out of him as misplaced.
Stephen certainly was full of the feelings begotten by the belief that Knight had taken away the woman he loved so well.
Stephen Smith then asked a question,adopting a certain recklessness of manner and tone to hide,if possible,the fact that the subject was a much greater one to him than his friend had ever supposed.
Are you married?
I am not.
Knight spoke in an indescribable tone of bitterness that was almost moroseness.
And I never shall be,he added decisively.Are you?
No,said Stephen,sadly and quietly,like a man in a sick-room.
Totally ignorant whether or not Knight knew of his own previous claims upon Elfride,he yet resolved to hazard a few more words upon the topic which had an aching fascination for him even now.
Then your engagement to Miss Swancourt came to nothing,he said.
You remember I met you with her once?