"No, romance was invented by people who have no hearts. Personally, my thoughts have been of San Lucido."
"And now you have got your reward. You are a good business woman; you know how to persevere."
"And you are a good business man because you know when you are beaten."
"Shall I tell you why I let you beat me? I did it to see you again," said Lewis, softly.
"Don't be silly. You gave in because you couldn't do anything else. You were heading for financial quicksands when the time came to pay. You've got a cool head so you cut off a finger to save your hand, as they say at the Bourse."
"Financial quicksands for the Franco-African?" asked Lewis. "For a little matter of six million lire?"
"It's nothing to do with the Franco-African," retorted Irene, calmly. "It's you. You've been acting all through this business entirely on your own account without consulting your Board. Do you think I don't know that? You acted from pride, as I should possibly have done myself. In proportion as your difficulties increased—and I don't deny that I helped—your personal resources, or those of your friends, diminished. A time comes when the fight of one against many becomes impossible, don't you see? I knew you could appeal to your backers. But I also guessed that you would rather give up the mine than lay the situation before them when it was going badly. Wasn't I right?"
Lewis kept his eyes fixed on the ground. "Yes," he replied, furiously, "of course you are right."
There was a short pause.
"It's no good trying to do anything with you," he went on. "Why aren't you a woman?"