"Why have you dared?"
"You are still afraid of me?" she asked with a light laugh that was half a sneer.
"Have I given you any such evidence during the past twenty years?"
There was no bitterness or taunt in the even, slow drawl with which he spoke, but the woman knew that he never used the slow tone with which he uttered those words except he was deeply moved.
She flushed, was silent and then answered with a frown:
"No, you haven't shown any fear for something more than twenty years—until a few days ago."
The last clause she spoke very quickly as she took a step closer and paused.
"A few days ago?" he repeated slowly.
"Yes. For the past week you have been afraid of me—not in the sense I asked you just now perhaps"—her white teeth showed in two even perfect rows—"but you have been watching me out of the corners of your eyes—haven't you?"
"Perhaps."