“Grievances again!” thought Serge, and he saw then how impossible was his position. He could not tell Minna of Basil’s willingness to take her back upon conditions. Either of them or both must surrender their grievances if anything were to be done. That seemed to be extremely improbable.
“You will not go back, then?”
“I’m quite willing to go back, if Basil——”
More conditions! Oh, the folly of insistence upon rights! . . . Serge dropped the subject, accepted the inevitable and asked:
“Then it is to go on?”
“That rests with Basil.”
“If he does not withdraw the petition I suppose you will not defend.”
“I shall defend my honour if I have to spend my last penny on it. I’m not going to have mud thrown at me and say ‘Thank you’ for it. I don’t trust Basil. He’s a vindictive little beast. He’s sure to say our marriage was happy. . . . Besides, I must think of the children.”
“I wish you would.”
“I do. Their mother’s honour is precious to them.”