Lightbody raised his head with the fatigue of the struggle and the pride of the victory written on it.
"Her happiness first," he said simply.
The accent with which it was spoken almost convinced De Gollyer.
"By Jove, you adore her!"
"I adore her," said Lightbody, lifting himself to his feet. This time it came not as an explosion, but as a breath, some deep echo from the soul. He stood steadily gazing at his friend. "You're right, Jim. You're right. It's not our class. I'll face it down. There'll be no scandal. No one shall know."
Their hands met with an instinctive motion. Then, touched by the fervor of his friend's admiration, Lightbody moved wearily away, saying dully, all in a breath:
"Like a thunderclap, Jim."
"I know, dear old boy," said De Gollyer, feeling sharply vulnerable in the eyes and throat.
"It's terrible—it's awful. All in a second! Everything turned upside down, everything smashed!"
"You must go away," said De Gollyer anxiously.