An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser (i can read book club .TXT) 📕

continued Jephson, his blue eyes boring into space like a powerful electric ray. “Of course, he goes out in the boat with her, and of course he takes that bag, and of course he signs those registers falsely, and walks away through those woods to that other girl, after Roberta is drowned. But why? Why? Do you want to know why? I’ll tell you! He felt sorry for her, see, and he wanted to marry her, or at least he wanted to do the right thing by her at the very last there. Not before, not before, remember, but after he had spent a night with her in Utica and another one in Grass Lake. But once she was drowned⁠—and accidentally, of course, as he says, there was his love for that other girl. He hadn’t ceased loving her even though he was willing to sacrifice her in order to do the right thing by Roberta. See?”

“I see.”

“And how are they going to prove that he didn’t experience a change of heart if he says he did and sticks to it?”

“I see, but he’ll have to tell a mighty convincing story,” added Belknap, a little heavily. “And how about those two hats? They’re going to have to be explained.”

“Well, I’m coming to those now. The one he had was a little soiled. And so he decided to buy another. As for that story he told Mason about wearing a cap, well, he was frightened and lied because he thought he would have to get out of it. Now, of course, before he goes to that other girl afterwards⁠—while Roberta is still alive, I mean, there’s his relationship with the other girl, what he intends to do about her. He’s talking to Roberta, now you see,” he continued, “and that has to be disposed of in some way. But, as I see it, that’s easy, for of course after he experiences a change of heart and wants to do the right thing by Roberta, all he has to do is to write that other girl or go to her and tell her⁠—about the wrong he has done Roberta.”

“Yes.”

“For, as I see it now, she can’t be kept out of the case entirely, after all. We’ll have to ring her in, I’m afraid.”

“All right; then we have to,” said Belknap.

“Because you see, if Roberta still feels that he ought to marry her⁠—he’ll go first and tell that Finchley girl that he can’t marry her⁠—that he’s going away⁠—that is, if Roberta doesn’t object to his leaving her that long, don’t you see?”

“Yes.”

“If she does, he’ll marry her, either at Three Mile Bay or some other place.”

“Yes.”

“But you don’t want to forget that while she’s still alive he’s puzzled and distressed. And it’s only after that second night, at Grass Lake, that he begins to see how wrong all his actions have been, you understand. Something happens. Maybe she cries or talks about wanting to die, like she does in those letters.”

“Yes.”

“And so he wants a quiet place where they can sit down in peace and talk, where no one else will see or hear them.”

“Yes, yes⁠—go on.”

“Well, he thinks of Big Bittern. He’s been up there once before or they’re near there, then, and just below there, twelve miles, is Three Mile Bay, where, if they decide to marry, they can.”

“I see.”

“If not, if she doesn’t want to marry him after his full confession, he can row her back to the inn, can’t he, and he or she can stay there or go on.”

“Yes, yes.”

“In the meantime, not to have any delay or be compelled to hang about that inn⁠—it’s rather expensive, you know, and he hasn’t any too much money⁠—he takes that lunch in his bag. Also his camera, because he wants to take some pictures. For if Mason should turn up with that camera, it’s got to be explained, and it will be better explained by us than it will be by him, won’t it?”

“I see, I see,” exclaimed Belknap, intensely interested by now and actually smiling and beginning to rub his hands.

“So they go out on the lake.”

“Yes.”

“And they row around.”

“Yes.”

“And finally after lunch on shore, some pictures taken⁠—”

“Yes.”

“He decides to tell her just how things stand with him. He’s ready, willing⁠—”

“I get you.”

“Only just before doing that, he wants to take one or two more pictures of her there in the boat, just off shore.”

“Yes.”

“And then he’ll tell her, see?”

“Yes.”

“And so they go out in the boat again for a little row, just as he did, see?”

“Yes.”

“But because they intend to go ashore again for some flowers, he’s left the bag there, see? That explains the bag.”

“Yes.”

“But before taking any more pictures there, in the boat on the water, he begins to tell her about his love for this other girl⁠—that if she wants him to, now he’ll marry her and then write this Sondra a letter. Or, if she feels she doesn’t want to marry him with him loving this other girl⁠ ⁠…”

“Yes, go on!” interrupted Belknap, eagerly.

“Well,” continued Jephson, “he’ll do his best to take care of her and support her out of the money he’ll have after he marries the rich girl.”

“Yes.”

“Well, she wants him to marry her and drop this Miss Finchley!”

“I see.”

“And he agrees?”

“Sure.”

“Also she’s so grateful that in her excitement, or gratitude, she jumps up to come toward him, you see?”

“Yes.”

“And the boat rocks a little, and he jumps up to help her because he’s afraid she’s going to fall, see?”

“Yes, I see.”

“Well, now if we wanted to we could have him have that camera of his in his hand or not, just as you think fit.”

“Yes, I see what you’re driving at.”

“Well, whether he keeps it in his hand or doesn’t, there’s some misstep on his part or hers, just as he says, or just the motion of the two bodies, causes the boat to go over, and he strikes her, or not, just as you think fit, but accidentally, of course.”

“Yes, I