"But—well, I am sorry I was such a beast. Can you endure seeing me once in a long time—say once a month? It—it may make life possible to me—don't say that you don't see the necessity for that! Brigit——"
"But it is so useless, Gerald, and so painful——"
"No. And I can tell you all kind of things about people—you must be lonely! Tommy is only a kid after all, and doesn't hear—By the way, why does he never come here?"
She hesitated. "Do you really not know?" Then, seeing sincerity in his eyes, she went on. "Well—Joyselle made me promise mother that."
"Made you!"
"Yes. He—you see he is old-fashioned. And—well, in two words he said that unless I promised he—he—would not teach Tommy or even see him!"
Carron whistled. "Well, I'll be damned!"
"Yes. Absurd, wasn't it? But—Oh, well, there's no use in explaining."
As she spoke she heard the introductory scraping at the keyhole again, and a moment later Tommy came in.