“Why have you brought all that up here?”
“I could not trust it anywhere else.”
“I see. You know what it is?”
I nodded.
“You understand, of course, that I knew all along?”
“Yes, now. From what I have learned I am bound to suppose that. I want you to tell me all about it, to explain——”
“Explain? There’s nothing to explain. I did want to keep you out of it. I tried, faintly. I loathed the idea of your being humbugged—oh! yes, that’s what it comes to. But I was too feeble to prevent it. But I won’t insult you further with my regrets. The other things are bad enough, but I wish to God you could know how I mind about you. Good-bye!”
He went to the door, and it was no mere melodramatic movement. I knew well that if he went it would be the end between us.
Very quietly I said, “Wait a moment. You have no right to leave me in the lurch now. You have got me into this hole. Even at the cost of a few days’ unpleasantness for yourself, you must get me out of it. Then you can go on with your own plans for yourself.”
It stopped him like an expanding bullet.