But he jumped up from his chair with an impatient gesture of his one arm. He prowled about. Never had Virginia seen him like this! So dark.... Propped high up on the bed she stared at him wondering; then she screwed up her eyes a little, examining him.... He turned to her, trying to look very reasonable.
“What I mean to say is,” he said, “that we ought to settle this once and for all. I can’t bear these vague positions—his coming to see you, and me here—both of us hanging round you—and both of us hating each other. It’s common, Virginia!”
“You are very arrogant, Ivor,” she told him rather mysteriously.
He brushed that away. “It’s common,” he insisted.
“It is, the way you put it,” she remarked. She was very tranquil. “But the fact is that George only comes out of cussedness and a desire to annoy. And he seems to be succeeding, with you anyway....”
“Personally,” she said thoughtfully, “I don’t get annoyed with George nowadays. He never wants anything....”
“You’ve said that before,” he said savagely, “and I didn’t like it then. What does it mean, Virginia?
“Well, you want things, don’t you, Ivor?” she put to him, very softly. She looked up into his face. “You want everything—don’t you, Ivor?”
Her softness humbled him. He turned away from her and prowled about. And her voice followed him about the room like a weary little bird.
“And I’ve given you everything, haven’t I, Ivor? I’ve given you more than I’ve given any man. Ivor, I’ve given you more than I thought I could give any man ... or god....”