"He told me in his specially cruel fashion, that I owed the concession to you, for I had charged him with being in love with you."
Honor drew back shocked at her bad taste. "That is hardly the thing for you, his wife, to tell me!"
"I don't say it from any evil motive!—oh, I wish you to believe that I am past all that—I have no longer any use for malice, and hatred—even jealousy! I only want to understand you. I am a woman, too; if I cared about a man who loved me as he loves you, I should want to kill the woman who stood in my way! There is something eternally primitive about love in its relation to the sexes!"
"There is love—and love. Perhaps you don't know—apart from everything—that Joyce Meredith is my dear friend? She has a right to be happy in her married life."
"I see. So you sacrificed yourself and ordered him to come to the rescue! He would do anything in the world for you."
"He and I can never be anything to each other," said Honor firmly.
"I am beginning to feel truly sorry for my husband. Perhaps you don't believe it? But, since he despises me so absolutely, it seems a shame that he should be tied to me for life! He should have given me my liberty long ago. You know why we parted?"
"Yes, I know."
"He might then have married you——"
"Please do not speak to me in this way or I must refuse to walk with you," said Honor indignantly.