"I fear you will hardly think so. I am about to make an end."
"Oh—oh, are you? Of what?"
"Of this—this deceitful life I am leading—have been leading. I—I—I am going to confess the whole truth."
"Rich-ard!"
He let fall the scissors and paced restlessly away down the room.
"I—I tell you, Lavinia, I cannot endure it! I cannot! I cannot! The thought of what John may be bearing is driving me crazy! I must speak!"
"You—you can't!" she gasped. "After seven years! Dicky, for heaven's sake—!" The colour ebbed and flowed in her cheeks.
"I cannot continue any longer this living of a lie—I have been feeling it more and more ever since—ever since I met—Jack—that time on the road. And now I can no longer stand it. Everywhere I go I seem to see him—looking at me—you don't understand—"
Lavinia cast aside her work.
"No! No! I do not! 'Pon rep., but you should have thought of this before, Dick!"