"Valentia's got to be happy. You're not going to have everything you want. You can surely make a little sacrifice to be her friend!" Then for one moment only Romer nearly lost his control. He said—
"We've been married five years, and I've never said a word or done a thing that she didn't like. And you made her cry. You! You made her cry!"
"My dear Romer, I assure you it's all ..."
Romer interrupted him in a low voice, impatiently.
"Oh, shut up, will you? I want no talk or discussion. I want only one thing. You're to write immediately, definitely putting an end to this engagement. While you write the letter I'll wait, and then I'll post it myself. Will you do it?"
"My dear fellow, of course I'll do anything. But how strange you are! I should have thought——"
"I don't want to know what you would have thought, and I don't care a straw what you think of my attitude. On condition you do what I say, I shall never refer to the subject again, and everything shall be as it has been."
Harry was obviously greatly relieved.
"I will do whatever you wish," he said, looking and feeling ashamed of himself.
Seeing that Romer was evidently in a hurry for the letter, he drew writing materials to him.