“On your account, I mean. We're safe enough; I've heard them talking at the house. Pao will protect us. And Chang, the tao-tai. But if you were to go out alone—on the highway—”
“Oh, that is nothing. I have soldiers.”
“You said four soldiers. Father was attacked right here in the city, with Chang and his body-guard defending him. They even tore Chang's clothes.”
“I don't care about myself,” said he.
She glanced up at him. She knew he spoke the truth, however bitter his spirit. He was talking on: “Don't misunderstand me....”
“I don't.”
“This journey has been a time of painful self-revelation. I used to think myself strong. That was absurd, of course. I am very weak. In this new trouble my will seems to have broken down. Yes, it has broken down; I may as well admit it. I had no right to fall in love with you. Already I have injured the life of one woman. Now, by merely coming out here in this ill-considered way, I am injuring yours.... The worst of it is these moments of terrible feeling. They make it impossible for me to reason. At one time I can really believe that a fatal accident out here—an accident to myself—would be the best thing that could happen for everybody concerned: but then, in a moment, I become inflamed with feeling, and desire, and a perfectly unreasonable hope.”
“I wonder,” mused Betty, moved now by something near a thrill of power—a disturbing sort of power—“if love is like that.”
“I don't know. I don't even know if this is love Part of the time I resent you.”
“Oh!... Well—yes, I can understand that.”