Philip raised his head. “How could I have hindered you?”
“How? Do you ask me how?” She spoke with some bitterness, but he answered quietly.
“I tried, Kate, but I could do nothing. You seemed determined. Do what I would to prevent, to delay, to stop your marriage altogether, the more you hastened and hurried it. Then I thought to myself, Well, perhaps it is best. She is trying to forget and forgive, and begin again. What right have I to stand in her way? Haven't I wronged her enough already? A good man offers her his love, and she is taking it. Let her do so, if she can, God help her! I may suffer, but I am nothing to her now. Let me go my way.”
She put her arms on the table, and hid her face in them. “Oh, I cannot bear it,” she said.
He rose to his feet slowly. “If it is my presence here that hurts you, Kate, I will go away. It has been but a painful pleasure to come, and I have been forced to take it. You will acquit me of coming of my own choice, Kate. But I will not torment you. I will go away, and never come again.”
She lifted her face, and said in a passionate whisper, “Take me with you.”
He shook his head. “That's impossible, Kate. You are married now. Your husband loves you dearly. He is a better man than I am, a thousand, thousand times.”
“Do you think I don't know what he is?” she cried, throwing herself back. “That's why I can't live with him. It's killing me. I tell you I can't bear it,” she cried, rising to her feet. “Love me! Haven't I tried to make myself love him. Haven't I tried to be a good wife! I can't—I can't. He never speaks but he torments me. Nothing can happen but it cuts me through and through. I can't live in this house. The walls are crushing me, the ceiling is falling on me, the air is stifling me. I tell you I shall die if you do not take me out of it. Take me, Philip, take me, take me!”
She caught him by the arm imploringly, but he only dropped his head down between both hands, saying in a deep thick voice, “Hush, Kate, hush! I cannot and I will not. You are mad to think of it.”
Then she sank down into the chair again, breathless and inert, and sobbing deep, low sobs. The sound of dancing came from the hall, with cries of “Hooch!” and the voice of Pete shouting—