“I tell you I know it,” she cried, fiercely, as if seeking to rouse me.
“Then I’m afraid the bottom will be knocked out of your marriage scheme in regard to her. Still, I daresay you’ll hatch another.”
This was the limit. She fell back a pace, stared at me aghast, and then broke out into a violent tirade of denunciation and abuse of my cowardice and generally contemptible conduct.
“Now, let me say half a dozen plain words, Baroness,” I replied, when she paused for lack of breath. “During the last days I have been here you have done your utmost against me; every weapon you could find you have used without scruple to try and ruin me. You failed every time; and now you come with some other plan in that subtle and beautiful head of yours to try and lure me into a last net. For the time I came very near to fearing you; I don’t like saying ugly things to a woman; and I’ll just content myself with the confession that I no longer fear anything you can do, and pay no heed whatever to anything you can say. That’s all. And now, as I’m busy getting ready to run away, as you call it, I must ask you to excuse me.”
“You have some other scheme?” she cried.
“You can put it that I’m running away; and leave it at that.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“That’s not polite, to say the least of it.” I rang the bell. “Buller, have you packed up yet?” I asked when he came.
“Yes, sir.”
“And directed that the heavy luggage is expressed through to Vienna?”