“Folly! Is it not worse folly to torture a poor girl as you do me—all for a worthless ring? What can you want with the ring? I do not know that he has it even.”
“You lie. You know he has. You need not think to take me in.”
“You base man! You dare not give the lie to any but a woman.”
“Why?”
“Because you are a coward. You are afraid of Lady Euphrasia yourself. See there!”
Von Funkelstein glanced round him uneasily. It was only the moonlight on the bark of a silver birch. Conscious of having betrayed weakness, he grew spiteful.
“If you do not behave to me better, I will compel you. Rise up!”
After a moment’s hesitation, she rose.
“Put your arms round me.”
She seemed to grow to the earth, and to drag herself from it, one foot after another. But she came close up to the Bohemian, and put one arm half round him, looking to the earth all the time.