"If people told me bad things of you, George,—that you were this or that, or the other, should I believe them?"
"A woman's name is everything."
"Then do you protect my name. But I deny it. Her name should be as nothing when compared with her conduct. I don't like to be evil spoken of, but I can bear that, or anything else, if you do not think evil of me,—you and papa." This reference to her father brought back the black cloud which her previous words had tended to dispel. "Tell me that you do not suspect me."
"I never said that I suspected you of anything."
"Say that you are sure that in regard to this man I never said, or did, or thought anything that was wrong. Come, George, have I not a right to expect that from you?" She had come round the table and was standing over him, touching his shoulder.
"Even then it would be better that you should go away from him."
"No!"
"I say that it would be better, Mary."
"And I say that it would be worse,—much worse. What? Will you bid your wife make so much of any man as to run away from him? Will you let the world say that you think that I cannot be safe in his company? I will not consent to that, George. The running away
shall not be mine. Of course you can take me away, if you please, but I shall feel——"