“How can I?” the girl answered. “What would you have me do? Go down on my knees to him. Cry to him for pity?”
“Not pity,” answered the other, “for common honesty. Put it to his honour. He thinks no end of that. That’s his religion—the only religion he’s got. He’s yours, not hers. Hasn’t he been dangling about after you for years? Doesn’t he owe everything to you? His first start that gave him his chance! How can he get over that? Hasn’t he compromised you? Doesn’t everybody know of it and take it as a settled thing? What are you going to do if you let him throw you over now? If you let this brainless doll, just because of her white skin——”
“Don’t, don’t,” cried the girl. She had risen. “What’s the good? Besides, what right have I?”
“What right?” answered the other. “You love him; that’s what gives you the right. You were made for him, to be his helpmeet, as the Bible says. Do you think I don’t know him? What could she do for him except waste his money on her luxuries and extravagancies? What does her class know about money but how to fling it about and then laugh at the man when it’s all spent? What do they know of the aching and sweating that goes to the making of it? What will be his share of the bargain but to keep the whole pauper family of them in idle ease while he wears out his heart slaving for them, and they look down upon him and despise him. What right——”
Her voice had risen to a scream. The girl held up a warning hand. She checked herself and went on in a low, swift tone.
“What right has she to come forcing her way at the last moment into other people’s lives, spoiling them just for a passing whim? Love! That sort of love! We know how long that lasts and what comes afterwards. Only in this case it will be she that will first tire of him. His very faithfulness will bore her. He hasn’t the monkey tricks that attract these women. Upstart! Charity boy! That’s what she’ll fling at him when some fawning popinjay has caught her fancy. I tell you I know her and her sort. I’ve lived among them. They don’t act before their servants.”
She came closer. “Get him away from her. It’s only a boy’s infatuation for something new and strange. Tell him how it will spoil his career. You’ve only got to speak to your father for all his plans to come tumbling to the ground. He’ll listen to that. He hasn’t lost all his senses—not yet. Besides, she wouldn’t want him then. She isn’t out to marry a struggling young solicitor without capital. You can take that from me.” She laughed.
Betty looked at her. “You would have me injure him?” she said.
“Yes; to save him from her,” answered the other, “she has changed him already. There are times when I don’t seem to know him. She will ruin him if she has her way. Save him. You can.”