"Why?" he questioned.
"Because your telegram frightened me."
"Frightened you? How?"
"Because—oh, you will not fail me, will you? I have been building on you—and you said you were leaving London. Surely that does not mean that all my hopes are dashed to the ground? Tell me they are not."
Her great dark eyes flashed dangerously into his as she spoke, while her presence almost intoxicated him. But he mastered himself. What he had heard the previous night came surging back to his memory.
"If your hopes in any way depend on me, I am afraid you had better forget them," he said.
"No, no, I can never forget them. Did you not inspire them? When I saw you did I not feel that you were the leader we needed? Ah no, you cannot fail me."
"I cannot do what you ask."
"But why? Only the night before last you were convinced. You saw the vision, and you had made up your mind to be faithful to it. And oh, you could become so great, so glorious!"
He felt the woman's magnetic power over him; but he shook his head stubbornly.