"Yes—I know," she faltered, nervously—"You said—you said we would arrange everything together to-day."
"True! So I did! Well, I will!" He drew closer to her and took her little hand in his own. "You see, dear, we can't live on the heights of ecstasy for ever" and he smiled,—a forced, ugly smile—"We've had a very happy time together, haven't we?"—and he was conscious of a certain nervousness as he felt her soft little body press against him in answer—"But the time has come for us to think of other things—other interests—your career,—my future—"
She looked up at him in sudden alarm.
"Amadis!" she said—"What is it? You frighten me!—you speak so strangely! What do you mean?"
"Now if you are unreasonable I shall go away!" he said, with sudden harshness, dropping her hand—"I shall leave you here by yourself without another word!"
She turned deathly pale—then flushed a faint crimson—a sense of giddy faintness overcame her,—she put up her hands to her head tremblingly, and loosening her hat took it off as though its weight oppressed her.
"I—I am not unreasonable, Amadis," she faltered—"only—I don't understand—"
"Well, you ought to understand," he answered, heatedly—"A clever little woman like you who writes books should not want any explanation. You ought to be able to grasp the whole position at a glance!"
Her breath came and went quickly—she tried to smile.
"I'm afraid I'm very stupid then," she answered, gently—"For I can only see that you seem angry with me for nothing."