Later, at sea, he used to refer to
La Senora in a particular tone and I knew that henceforth his
devotion was not for me alone. And I understood the inevitability
of it extremely well. As to Dona Rita she, after Dominic left the
room, had turned to me with animation and said: "But he is
perfect, this man." Afterwards she often asked after him and used
to refer to him in conversation. More than once she said to me:
"One would like to put the care of one's personal safety into the
hands of that man. He looks as if he simply couldn't fail one." I
admitted that this was very true, especially at sea. Dominic
couldn't fail. But at the same time I rather chaffed Rita on her
preoccupation as to personal safety that so often cropped up in her
talk.
"One would think you were a crowned head in a revolutionary world,"
I used to tell her.
"That would be different. One would be standing then for
something, either worth or not worth dying for. One could even run
away then and be done with it. But I can't run away unless I got
out of my skin and left that behind. Don't you understand? You
are very stupid . . ." But she had the grace to add, "On purpose."
I don't know about the on purpose.
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