Gladys had never heard Christine talk like this before; she was frightened at the recklessness of her voice. She broke in quickly:
"I won't listen if you're going to say such things. Jimmy is your husband, and you loved him once, no matter what you may do now. You loved him very dearly once."
Christine laughed.
"I've got over that. He wasn't worth breaking my heart about. I was just a poor little fool in those days, who didn't know that a man never cares for a woman if he is too sure of her. Oh, if I could only have my time over again, I'd treat him so differently—I'd never let him how how much I cared."
Her voice had momentarily fallen back into its old wistfulness. There were tears in her eyes, but she brushed them quickly away.
"Don't talk about him; I don't want to talk about him."
But Gladys persisted.
"It isn't too late; you can have the time all over again by starting afresh, and trying to wipe out the past. You're so young. Why, Jimmy is only a boy; you've got all your lives before you." She got up and went round to where Christine was sitting. She put an arm about her shoulders. "Why don't you forgive him, and start again? Give him another chance, dear, and have a second honeymoon."
Christine pushed her away; she started up with burning cheeks.
"You don't know what you're talking about. Leave me alone—oh, do leave me alone." She ran from the room.