"I thought you knew," I stammered.
CHAPTER XXXIII
THE END OF IT
I saw in the momentary pause that his dog came up beside him and licked his hand and he did not seem to notice her.
"You thought I knew," he repeated, his colour becoming a dull purple. "You thought I knew. And I thought your shrinking from me was but maiden modesty, and that if you did not love me you were going to love me. Why, when you trembled in my arms as I lifted you through the door I thought it was love; and all the time it was horror and repulsion. What a fool I have been! But, by Heaven—I have been fooled too!"
His expression became so wild and furious that I shrank back in my chair and covered my face with my hands.
"You needn't be afraid of me," he said; "that is all over. Come: there is nothing more to see. You had better go home."
He had regained control over himself, although his features still worked and his eyes were bloodshot. Indeed, he had such a look of suffering that I should have been sorry for him no matter how much I hated him, and now, curiously enough, my hatred seemed to have passed away.