“A—what?”
“—An honourable understanding with you, I said,” he repeated, reddening.
“Oh!” She snapped her cigarette into the grate. “Oh! I see. And what then?”
“What then?”
“Yes; what then?”
“Why, you and I can arrange to stand behind him this winter in town, can't we?”
“And then?”
“Then—damn it!—the beggar can show his gratitude, can't he?”
“How?” she asked listlessly.
“By making good. How else?” he retorted savagely. “He can't welch because there's little to climb for beyond us; and even if he climbs, he can't ignore us. I can do as many things for him in my way as you can in yours. What is the use of being a pig, Leila? Anything he does for me isn't going to cancel his obligations to you.”