Her contempt of him left her; she loathed only herself. All through this acquaintance he had been his natural man; it was she who had deceived herself. For that she could not punish him. "I cannot marry you," she answered.
His effort at self-control was visible, but it succeeded. "I beg," he said, "that you will give me time. If I have been hasty——"
"No," she said, rising and facing him. "Mr. Ellis, I acknowledge that I have treated you badly; I am as sorry as I can be. Can I say more than that? Yes, I beg you to forgive me. But I can never marry you."
He pressed his lips firmly together; his brows contracted, and he looked at her out of those narrow eyes which could control his subordinates or threaten his opponents. But she met him with sorrow, not defiance, and he could not understand.
"What has happened?" he cried. "Yesterday—this very day——"
"You were sure of me?" she asked. "Rightly, Mr. Ellis. But now it is too late."
"What is it, then? Has that fellow Mather——?"
"Yourself only," she interrupted. "I beg you to leave me."
He looked at her a moment longer; then he left the room. But not the house: she heard him go to the dining-room and speak to her father. Then Beth came into the parlour quickly; she was agitated.
"Judith——"