“Oh, I have heard too much,” she cried. “Spare me the rest.”
He continued as though he had not heard her.
“Men who have been my intimate associates for many years, and whose friendship was dear to me, cross the road to avoid: meeting me, day by day I am besieged with visitors and letters from the suffering people to whom my word had been pledged, imploring me for some explanation, for one word of denial. Life has become a hell for me, a pestilent, militant hell! Yet, Lucille, unless you break faith with me I make no complaint. I am content.”
“I am very sorry,” she said. “I do not think that you have properly understood me. I have never made you any promise.”
For a moment he lost control of himself. She shrank back at the blaze of indignation, half scornful, half incredulous, which lit up his clear, grey eyes.
“It is a lie!” he answered. “Between you and me it can be no question of words. You were always very careful of your pledges, but there are limits even to your caution—as to my forbearance. A woman does not ask a man who is pleading to her for her love to give up everything else he cares for in life without hope of reward. It is monstrous! I never sought you under false pretenses. I never asked you for your friendship. I wanted you. I told you so plainly. You won’t deny that you gave me hope—encouraged me? You can’t even deny that I am within my rights if I claim now at this instant the reward for my apostasy.”
Her hands were suddenly locked in his. She felt herself being drawn into his arms. With a desperate effort she avoided his embrace. He still held her left wrist, and his face was dark with passion.
“Let me go!” she pleaded.
“Not I!” he answered, with an odd, choked little laugh. “You belong to me. I have paid the price. I, too, am amongst the long list of those poor fools who have sold their gods and their honour for a woman’s kiss. But I will not be left wholly destitute. You shall pay me for what I have lost.”
“Oh, you are mad!” she answered. “How could you have deceived yourself so? Don’t you know that my husband is in London?”