Because I should be unhappy too

"The reason," he continued, clearing his throat with a stiffsmile, "is not quite as important to me as the fact."She stood speechless, agonized by his pain. But still, shethought, he had remembered the dinner at the Embassy. Thethought gave her courage to go on. 　　"It wouldn't do, Streff. I'm not a bit the kind of person tomake you happy.""Oh, leave that to me, please, won't you?""No, I can't. Because I should be unhappy too."He clicked at the leaves as they whirled past. "You've taken arather long time to find it out." She saw that his new-bornsense of his own consequence was making him suffer even morethan his wounded affection; and that again gave her courage. 　　"If I've taken long it's all the more reason why I shouldn'ttake longer. If I've made a mistake it's you who would havesuffered from it ....""Thanks," he said, "for your extreme solicitude."She looked at him helplessly, penetrated by the despairing senseof their inaccessibility to each other. Then she rememberedthat Nick, during their last talk together, had seemed asinaccessible, and wondered if, when human souls try to get toonear each other, they do not inevitably become mere blurs toeach other's vision. She would have liked to say this toStreff-but he would not have understood it either. The senseof loneliness once more enveloped her, and she groped in vainfor a word that should reach him. 　　"Let me go home alone, won't you?" she appealed to him. 　　"Alone?"She nodded. "To-morrow--to-morrow ...."He tried, rather valiantly, to smile. "Hang tomorrow! Whateveris wrong, it needn't prevent my seeing you home." He glancedtoward the taxi that awaited them at the end of the deserteddrive. 　　"No, please. You're in a hurry; take the taxi. I wantimmensely a long long walk by myself ... through the streets,with the lights coming out ...."He laid his hand on her arm. "I say, my dear, you're not ill?""No; I'm not ill. But you may say I am, to-night at theEmbassy."He released her and drew back. "Oh, very well," he answeredcoldly; and she understood by his tone that the knot was cut,and that at that moment he almost hated her. She turned away,hastening down the deserted alley, flying from him, and knowing,as she fled, that he was still standing there motionless,staring after her, wounded, humiliated, uncomprehending. It wasneither her fault nor his ....