Mother said: You're as strong as a horse, and you had no business upsetting the party and putting upon Joe like that...

And Annabelle answered dreamily... or like one unaware of my presence:

Joe! He was wonderful with me!

I asked her when Alice had come back... and she said, with a gleam in her eyes: She's only just come in.

I asked her again: But where is Joe?... And she answered like one who knows everything: He has gone to perform an operation at the hospital.

Mother said firmly: Enough — get up off that chair, for goodness' sake, and tell Alice to make me a cup of tea, and bring it with an Aspro tablet.

I went up to my room, threw my hat on the bed, and looked in the mirror... I fancied I looked tired... unattractive... I am twenty-seven and she is seventeen... In what way had Joe been wonderful with her... And then, why had I forgotten that he was going to the hospital, when he had told me so himself?

I heard people coming into our house — Mother had invited friends in after the bride and groom went away... I did not want to see people, or at least not to see Joe just now, with Annabelle hovering around him... I was sure now that Tom had been right about Annabelle, and I felt a sadness, because I had lost the sweet little creature I had loved.

I went to the kitchen and set about helping Alice... She protested, saying: Go and enjoy yourself... And I whispered within myself: Enjoy what?... And I went on working.

Suddenly the kitchen door opened and Joe came in, exclaiming: Oh, that seemed the longest operation I have ever performed in my life!... Then he came up to me, saying: How are things?... It's as if I hadn't seen you in a generation.

We heard Annabelle's voice calling: Joe, where are you?... He looked at me in vexation and hurried off to her.

Very well... let her have him... But he came back quickly... He said: What, are you going to stay in here the whole time?... And Alice answered: I've told her again and again to go... He said: Come along then, off with that "apron," and come inside.

I said, without looking at him: No — go to Annabelle...

I was pouring a cup of coffee, and I went on pouring without seeing that the saucer had overflowed.

He took the pot from my hand, saying gently: Look what you're doing... Then he added: Come out to the veranda — I have something to say to you...

On the veranda he held me close and said: My darling, you can't have thought I cared for your little sister.

And I murmured: And taking her away from the

wedding... and carrying her like that... and staying with her all that time... and leaving me alone?

He patted my cheek and said: You simple girl — it was no real faint, just one of her performances... I am a doctor... She was on the verge of a fit of hysterics, and I know the signs well, so I thought it best she should be at home... And so I dropped her on Miss Alice, thanking God she was in the house when we reached it... And by then the hour of the operation had come, so I could not get back to you...

And because I had loved her, and love her still in spite of everything... and because I felt safe... sure... happy... I did not tell him the story Annabelle had invented.

And he said: Now let us talk sensibly... Seeing Tom and Claire today set me thinking of us... So when shall our wedding be...?

A yellow dress appeared on the veranda, and we heard her say: Joe, I've been looking for you everywhere.

And he said: Leave us be, Annabelle... our little sister... we are fixing the date of our wedding!

She stood speechless... and I saw a big tear — a real tear, perhaps — streaming down her cheeks... The sacred spring was surging all around us... its fragrance drifting up from the city to our nostrils on the veranda... Had spring purified Annabelle?... Had she been born anew today, having first been born in the spring, seventeen years ago? I believe so.

"From the English"

Emile Halaby

Everything

for ladies and children

Souk el-Bazerkane — Telephone 30536

EMILE HALABY

Everything for Ladies & Children

SOUK EL-BAZERKANE

PHONE 30536 — BEIRUT