her aloofness. She cared nothing for him, and she let him know
it; his notions of marriage, its duties and obligations merely aroused
in her contempt. And when he finally understood that the only
kindness he could do her was to keep his distance, he had kept it. And
what was he to do now? Granted that he had brought it all upon
himself, how was he to combat what was threatening Athalie?

His wife had so far desired nothing of him, not even divorce. He could
not leave Athalie and he could not marry her. And now, on her young
head he had, somehow, loosened this avalanche, whatever it was--a suit
for separation, probably--which, if granted, would leave him without
his liberty, and Athalie disgraced. And even suppose his wife desired
divorce for some new and unknown reason. The sinister advent of those
men meant that Athalie would be shamefully named in any such
proceedings.

What was he to do? An ugly, hunted look came into his face and he
swung around and faced the girl beside him:

"Athalie," he said, "will you go away with me and let them howl?"

"Dearest, how silly. I'll stay _here_ with you and let them howl."

"I don't want you to face it--"

"I shall not turn my back on it. Oh, Clive, there are so many more
important things than what people may say about us!"

"You can't defy the world!"

"I'm not going to, darling. But I may possibly shock a few of the more
orthodox parasites that infest it."

"No girl can maintain that attitude."

"A girl can try.... And, if law and malice force me to become your
mistress, malice and law may answer for it; not I!"

"_I_ shall have to answer for it."

"Dearest," she said with smiling tenderness, "you are still very, very
orthodox in your faith in folk-ways. That need not cause _me_ any
concern, however. But, Clive, of the two pictures which seems
reasonable--your wife who is no wife; your mistress who is more and is
considered less?

"Don't think that I am speaking lightly of wifehood.... I desire it as
I desire motherhood. I was made for both. If the world will let me I
shall be both wife and mother. But if the world interferes to stultify
me, then, nevertheless I shall still be both, and the law can keep the
title it refuses me. I deny the right of man to cripple, mar, render
sterile my youth and womanhood. I deny the right of the world to
forbid me love, and its expression, as long as I harm no one by
loving. Clive, it would take a diviner law than man's notions