She considered.
“I had to.” Her voice was growing easier to manage.
“Will you tell me why?”
Her moment was come. Now she must loose her lightnings, launch her thunderbolts, harangue, arraign, convince, convict him, overwhelming him with unanswerable truths. She must take the chance that had come to her. Whitening, she drew breath and spoke—
“I—I had to,” said Laura.
“Where—?” he began, then his eyes, following hers, caught sight of the mess of shell that littered the floor and he lost control. He was flushed, darkly, like a drinker. The natural man emerged in a quick, furious staccato of unintelligible words. A wave of terrified laughter swept over her as she listened.
So that’s swearing!... So he can swear, Coral! You see, he can.... And then——It’s like a cat—like a tom-cat! It’s comical! It’s horrible! It makes one sick! Stop! Oh, Justin, stop!... She was clutching at the arms of her chair.
But it was all over in an instant. Before she realized what was happening she found him towering over her, the Justin of a nightmare, huge and hazy, with glittering eyes.
He was speaking to her.
“Will you go away, please?”