She was on her feet now blazing at him.
“How dare you demand purity in us? Set the example; we’ll follow suit. We give what we receive; no more, no less.”
She made a rush for the door. He caught her two arms.
“You women! You women! You prate equality; you’d hate like the devil to have it. You know you’ve got the best of us.” Martin’s voice rang out; it was always too loud when he was excited. “The woman of today is gambling with every chance against her; if she wins, she loses; she’ll get everything she wants, even sexual equality; and when she has it, she’ll lose the glory of Life for the human race. Look at me. I’m the average man, no better, no worse; and the most miserable, lonely wretch that ever walked in a city overcrowded with beautiful women. I would marry any one of them—high, low, rich, poor, if she would give me the love I’m craving for. Tell me the truth now: can you love anybody but yourself?”
She tried to extricate herself from his iron grasp, his accusing eyes.
“Don’t, don’t! You hurt me.”
He released her with a bitter laugh.
When Julie came in, Maud was hysterical. Martin must have been saying something awful.
“Miss Ailsworth’s car.”