But she did not seem to hear him, and swept on—
“He must have them or he will die. We have spent every penny we had—I have even borrowed money on my possessions. I can conceal things from strangers, but you and I belong to the same family, and what I say to you I know is sacred—we are starving, William, we are starving, and I implore you to help me. He says he cannot stay unless I take back money—that he will go and leave me.” Something seemed to gather in her throat—there was a ring of fright and despair in her voice as she said the last words. “He will leave me, and it will break my heart, for he is all the world to me. It will break my heart if he goes, and unless I take back money he will leave me!”
“And let you starve by yourself?—a nice man to marry.”
“William,” she said, “he must remember what is due to himself. He cannot stay if he has not even food to eat.”
“And, pray, who is this gentleman?”
“I have told you that he is a brilliant writer.”
“What is his name?”
“I don’t think I am justified in telling you—he does not wish our marriage to be known.”
“I can quite understand that,” Sir William answered ironically. “Did he tell you to come to me for money?”
“Yes, he told me to do so,” she said, tragically; “he knew your good heart.”