“How shall I let you know the result? You will be anxious.”
“Do you mind coming to me afterwards—the old way?”
“Not at all. But I shall have to wait outside until the house is quiet.”
“There will be a nice fire upstairs to warm you.”
“And my wife’s heart?”
“That depends,” she replied, with a curious smile. “Shall you be perishing for it?”
“We must try to win back to each other again, Minna,” he said, stretching out his hand so as to touch lightly her cheek. “It will not be hard, for circumstances will be more favourable than they have been. I am afraid I haven’t played a very noble part, my dear—and when a man is conscious of that, he vents his spleen upon others. That’s not very noble either, but it’s miserable human nature. Do you understand?”
“I am glad you see that you have treated me badly,” she said. “At any rate it’s a hopeful beginning.”
The thought of her failure to grasp his meaning was dancing irritatingly in his mind as he stepped forward to greet Israel Hart, who at that moment entered the room.
“Very pleased to see you, Mr. Colman. Sorry I’m late. Kept in the city. Cold, isn’t it?”