"The one decent woman of your life—your world—"
His eyes glared.
"So then, this low-born churl is a better man than I?"
"At least he knew I had a soul of my own."
"Skillfully cultivated to his own sweet ends."
"His ends were innocent, else had he not fled."
"Knowing that you would follow him."
"He knew naught."
"That remains to be seen."
"It was you who brought us together!" she said with quiet scorn. "You were so sure in your pride and your power and of my own timidity that you thought it impossible that something might defy them. And you could not understand that another might be so much closer to my nature, or that I had a nature of my own. In those days I well remember, ere my heart had strayed too far, I tried to waken you to the great danger. I tried to speak of mine. But you would not be apprised of aught that would seem a concession to your pride. So we are come to this!"