“I will not,” he replied.
His own voice was not altogether steady, but he was much calmer than she. She had been crying—he could see that; and, as he faced her, she began to cry again.[Pg 226]
“You beast!” she cried. “You selfish, heartless—”
“Look here!” said Edward. “I can’t—I won’t stand any more of this! I’m sick and tired—”
“And what about me?” she retorted. “After your promising to make me happy!”
That was too much. Edward could have reminded her of things she had promised, but he scorned to do so. Contempt overwhelmed him. She had no scruples. The only thing on earth she cared about was to get her own way; and she wasn’t going to get it—not this time! Her monstrous unfairness, her ruthless egotism, appalled him. He felt anger mounting to his brain, destroying his fine moderation.
“Look here!” he began.
“I won’t!” said she. “If I’d had any idea what you were really like, I’d never have married you, Edward Cane!”
“No doubt!” said Edward frigidly. “However, another woman—”
All he had been going to say was that another woman—any other woman in the world, indeed—would have considered him a fairly good husband; but Mildred chose to take his words in a different spirit.