And as Vincent made a motion toward the fireplace, he asked, "Shall we sit by the fire?"
Saying she would like to, Catherine said, "Yes..."
As Catherine and Vincent began to eat, Vincent noticed on the bottom tier of Catherine's coffee table, sat a particular book, causing him to astonishingly say, "You own William Hazlitt's Liber Amoris, his 1823 semi-autobiographical novel."
To which Catherine gleefully answered, "Yes, The famous English Critic and essayist! I was so fortunate to have found it at Mr. Smythe's a year or so back."
Vincent in amazement, informed Catherine, "As you may already know, Hazlitt Hotel, at London's 6 Frith Street, Soho Square, is in the Soho district. Of which I beg your pardon to repeat facts you may already be aware of, is the place William Hazlitt had lived, and died."
With a raised brow, Catherine answered, "Oh yes...I am aware, and have heard stories of the hotel as well! Something about how he named the rooms..."
Realizing Catherine knew of the hotel's salacious details, Vincent then amusingly said, "Ah yes, you must be referring to the rumor the bedrooms were named after the women he had...well, he had KNOWN there. And writers who stay at the Hazlitt's, as a tribute to his memory, leave behind autographed copies of their most recent works, to add to its library."
Vincent then sadly said, "I found it mystifying, that though he died alone, disillusioned, ill, and impoverished, he wrote he had lived a happy life."
Agreeably, Catherine said, "It was because he never lost his sense of self, and he wrote exactly what he desired."
Catherine then lent credence to this fact as she revealed, "Even though the affair he had with Sarah Walker ended his marriage, he still wrote so openly about his love for her in Liber Amoris. It seemed he didn't care who knew, he wrote it anyway because, well as I said before, because he desired to."
Catherine then wistfully shared, "I think his description about "Perfect Love" is maybe what I love so much about this book."
Vincent tipped his head slightly as he opened the book and then went on to read:
"Perfect Love" Perfect love has this advantage in it, that it leaves the possessor of it nothing farther to desire. There is one object (at least) in which the soul finds absolute content, for which it seeks to live, or dares to die. The heart has as it were filled up the moulds of the imagination. The truth of passion keeps pace with and out lives the extravagance of mere language. There are no words so fine, no flattery so soft, that there is not a sentiment beyond them, that it is impossible to express, at the bottom of the heart where true love is. What idle sounds the common phrases, adorable creature, angel, divinity, are! What a proud reflection it is to have a feeling answering to all these, rooted in the breast, unalterable, unutterable, to which all other feelings are light and vain! Perfect love reposes on the object of its choice, like the halcyon on the wave; and the air of heaven is around it."
Catherine sat looking at Vincent enraptured by his voice, softly said, "That was lovely..."
Vincent humbled himself, and with a voice full of emotion he said, "Lovely...is the way you look upon and care for me."
Catherine reached over to wipe a tear that had fallen from his misted eyes, and she then wiped a tear from her own.
And as they sat with in each others embrace, just then, the telephone rang, to which Catherine not wanting to move a muscle, whispered, "I'll let the answering machine take it."
However the phone call was from Jennifer, and she sounded upset as she said, "Ok Cath...where are you? Call me ASAP! Tom called me again...and I am not sure if I should say yes to him or not! What should I do? Also, how are things going with you and this Vincent, whom I need to remind you I have not met yet! So anyway, please call me when you get home and tell me what I should do."
Helplessly, Catherine looked up at Vincent and said, "Sounds like she needs some advice and encouragement to say no to Tom. So I better call her back and remind her about all of his bad traits."
Understandingly, Vincent said, "Yes, sounds as if you should...and Catherine...I am wondering..."
Curiously, Catherine asked, "Wondering?"
With a nod Vincent questioned, "Is Tom trying to get close to your good friend to remain connected to you in some fashion?"
Replying, Catherine admitted, "Jenny asked me about that too, and honestly I don't know. All I could say is Jenny has so many wonderful traits, she's fun, pretty and very smart, it may have nothing to do with me. But since I know how he is, I cannot in all good consciousness stand by and say nothing."
And then Catherine hesitantly added, "And...aside from Jenny mentioning Tom, you heard, she really wants to meet you."
To which Vincent replied, "The time shall reveal itself when it is right Catherine...and truth be told, I would like to meet your spirited friend as well."
And then Vincent tightened his embrace, and said, "It is time...I will go so you can call Jennifer right back."
Sadly Catherine relayed, "I hate for our evening to end...but you are right, I better call her, Jenny can get so worked up."
Vincent stood to say, "Goodnight Catherine..."
To which Catherine said goodnight in return, and with a loving embrace, Vincent slipped into the night.