“Yes, I know,” she said steadily. “We understand each other; it’s useless to pretend otherwise. I’ve tried, and you’ve seen through the disguise and smiled. It’s simply useless.” The clasped hands opened in a gesture of dismissal. “But don’t let’s speak of it now. I want to hear your plans for the future. What 339 are you going to do now that you have—power?”
“Do?” Roberts looked at her steadily. “That depends upon one condition absolutely. It’s superfluous for me to name that one.”
The girl flashed him a look from eyes unnaturally bright.
“Please,” she pleaded, “leave it alone for a time. You have two courses outlined, an option. It would be unlike you otherwise. What are those two?”
“I didn’t mean to be insistent, Elice,” said Roberts, gently. “Take my word for it, I shan’t be again, whatever you decide. Yes; I see two ways ahead. In one, work will be secondary, another’s happiness first, always first. In the other, I shall work—to forget. The incentive of the game itself is gone. I’ve won the game. But there is no other way to forget and retain self-respect; so I shall work—to the end.”
“And you must decide soon?”
“Yes, at once. I can’t remain longer in uncertainty. Nothing is so bad as that. It’s like a bungling execution: infinitely better for all concerned to be complete. To-morrow I take up the trail one way or the other.” 340
Opposite, the girl caught her breath for an instant; but though the other saw he said nothing. He had promised he would not.
“You’ll leave then to-morrow, if—” That was all.
“Yes.”