Rhoda, he said, leaning forward and speaking with calm reproof, this is altogether unworthy of you. I thought you so perfectly understood; I thought it had all been made clear between us. Now do give up crying, theres a good girl, and come to the fire. You look wretchedly cold. Take your hat offwont you?
No, no; how can you expect me to make myself at ease in that way! I ought not to be here at all; it is foolish and wrong to have come to you. But I couldnt believe it; I was driven to come and ask you to contradict it. And you only tell me it is true; that you thought I knew it! I dont understand how you can be so cruel.
Now let us talk, said Lacour, tapping his knee with the paper knife. Why should you be so surprised at what you hear? You know all about my position; we talked it over in full that day at the Museum, didnt we? I was absolutely frank with you; I concealed nothing, and I pretended nothing. We liked each other; that we had both of us found out, and there was no need to put it into words. We found, too, that there was a danger of our growing indispensable to each other, a state of things which had to be met rationally, andwell, put an end to. Had we been at liberty to marry, I should certainly have asked you to be my wife; as there was no possibility of that, we adopted the wisest alternative, and agreed not to meet again. I cannot tell you how I admired your behaviour; so few girls are capable of talking in a calm and reasonable spirit of difficulties such as these. Any one watching us would have thought we were discussing some affair of the most every-day kind. As I say, you were simply admirable. It grieves me to see you breaking down so after all; it is not of a piece with the rest of your behaviour; it makes a flaw in what dramatists call the situation. Dont you agree with me? Have I said anything but the truth?
Rhoda listened, with her eyes fixed despairingly on the ground; her hands holding the edge of the sofa gave her the appearance of one shrinking back from a precipice. When he had finished his statement, she faced him for the first time.
What would you have thought if I had gone at once and married somebody else?
I should have heartily wished you every happiness.
Should you have thought I did right? she asked with persistence, clinging still to the edge of the sofa.
On the whole, perhaps not.
You mean, she said, not without bitterness, a fresh tear stealing to her cheek, that you believe in my feeling for you, and wish me to understand that yours for me hadnt the same seriousness?
No, I didnt mean that. You must remember that I am not defending this step of mine, only showing you that I have not violated any compact between us. We were both left free, thats all.
Then you dont care for her! the girl exclaimed, with mingled satisfaction and reproof.
Lacour threw one leg over the other, and bent the paper-knife on his knee.
You must remember, he said, that marriages spring from many other motives besides personal inclination. I have told you that I dont defend myself. Im afraid I mustnt say more than that.
Rhoda let her eyes wander; agitation was again getting hold upon her.
You mean that I have no right to question you. I know I havent, butit all seems so impossible, she burst forth. How can you tell me in such a voice that you are doing what you know isnt right? When father told me this morning I didnt know about that will; he only explained, because there was no use in keeping it secret any longer, and of course he knew nothing ofof the way it would come upon me.
Ah, you know about the will? I am very glad of that; it makes our explanation easier.
She fixed her eyes upon him; they were only sad at first, but expanded into a despairing amazement.
How can you speak so to me? she asked in a low and shaken voice.
Lacour threw away the paper-cutter, and once more stood up.
How am I to speak, Rhoda? Should you prefer to have me tell you lies? Why couldnt you accept the fact, and, knowing all the details, draw your own conclusion? You were at liberty to hold me in contempt, or to pity me, as you thought fit; you were even at liberty to interfere to spoil my marriage if you liked
You think me capable of that? No wonder you part from me so easily. I thought you knew me better.
She put her hands over her face and let her tears have way.
Rhoda, he exclaimed nervously, there are two things I cant beara woman angry and a woman crying; but of the two Id rather have the anger. You are upsetting me dreadfully. I had ever so much rather you told me in plain, knock-down words just what you think of me. If you distress yourself in that way I shall do something absurd, something we shall both of us be sorry for. Really, it was a horrible mistake to come here; why should we have to go through a scene of this kind? You are giving meand yourselfthe most needless pain.
She rose and sought the door with blinded eyes, as if to go from him at once. Lacour took a step or two towards her, and only with difficulty checked himself.
Rhoda! he exclaimed, you cannot go out in that way. Sit down; do as I tell you!
She turned, and, seeing his face, threw herself on her knees before him.
Vincent, have pity on me! You cant, you wont, do this! I will kneel at your feet till you promise me to break it off. I cant bear it! Vincent, I cant bear it! It will drive me mad if you are married. I cant live; I shall kill myself! You dont know what my life has been since we ceased to meet; I couldnt have lived if I hadnt had a sort of hope thatoh, I know its all my own fault; I said and did things I never should have done; you are blameless. But you cannot marry another woman when youI mean, not at once, not so soon! It isnt three months, not three months, since you said you liked me better than any one else you had ever met. Cant you be sorry for me a little? Look at meI havent even the pride a woman ought to have; I am on my knees to you. Put it off a little while; let me see if I can get to bear it!
She had caught and held the hand with which he had endeavoured to raise her. The man was in desperate straits; his face was a picture of passionate torment, the veins at his temple blue and swollen, his lips dry and quivering. With an effort of all his strength he raised her bodily, and almost flung her upon the sofa, where she lay with half-closed eyes, pallid, semi-conscious.
Lie there till you are quiet, he said with a brutality which was the result of his inner struggle, and not at all an utterance of his real self, and then go home. I am going out.
He went into an inner room, and reappeared in a moment equipped for walking. Rhoda had risen, and was before him at the door, standing with her face turned from him.
Wait till I have been gone a minute, she said. Forgive me; I will never come again.
Where are you going? he inquired abruptly.
Home.
A sudden, violent double-knock at the door made them both start.
Its only the postman, Lacour explained. The interruption had been of good effect, relieving the overcharged atmosphere.
Listen to me for one moment before you go, he continued. You must see perfectly well that you ask what is impossible. Mistake or not, right or wrong, I cannot undo what I have done; we must consider other people as well as ourselves. For all that, we are not going to part in an unfriendly way. I am sensitive; I could not be at my ease; I think you owe it to me to restore our relations to their former reasonable state.