Well, why not, as fairly? and why should he think better of her than of himself? But it was too old to go over again. For a breath she waited to see her further way. She had not planned this as the issue, but the moment was obviously crucial, and offered what, in international politics already awry, would constitute a good technical opportunity. If her mirage of regeneration, her hope of an understanding, perhaps even her love, had flung up any last afterglow in this home-coming, it was over now. Indeed, now it seemed an old grief, the present but confirmation concerning a lover ten years lost at sea. She saw the whole man now clearly, the balance of her accusations and excuses; he had neither the modern spirit of equality, nor the medieval quixotism of honor and chivalry; appeal merely stirred the elemental tyranny of strength and masculinity, held as a “divine right”; weakness tempted an instinctive cruelty, half unconscious, half defiant.
It was Sam who spoke first, abruptly, not laughing. Sam who was never angry, was angry now. “I never have understood you in some ways. How a woman like you can forever bring money between us! How you got tainted with this modern female anarchy! You seem to forget that I made the money, it is mine. There is bound to be discussion; I never knew any one so determined to have everything his own way. All the same,” the defence rested its case, “it takes two to quarrel, and I won’t.”
No, his defence was only admission of conscious weakness. He was afraid—of the solution she had discarded. She did not go back to it now. But now she saw the way, the only way, to accomplish reconstruction.
Judith looked at him steadily. Her voice was deadly quiet. “I am sure I have made myself quite plain. We will never discuss this again. You can let me know in the morning which arrangement you choose.”
They faced each other with level eyes.
And Sam’s shifted.
He never had real nerve, she realized; they didn’t—that kind. How had she managed to love him so long?
Late that night he knocked at her door with a formal proposition: Would that do?—dumbly. She changed a point or two: That would do, and signified good night. Sam, looking at her face, turned away from it, hesitated, turned back, broke. Fear increased his admiration, and, to do him justice, the fear was not wholly for conventions and comforts; the man had certain broad moralities and loyalties. A reflex muscular action had set in to regain what he had lost. “Judith! Judith!” he begged.
Her raised hand stopped him. “You are too late, Sam.”
“My dear, you mustn’t get the idea that I don’t love you still.”