aking in a different voice now--softer, more feeling.

"Ah, Morris," she said, "it is all so sad ... so horribly sad! Though I
may seem unkind--my heart aches with it. But this has not come suddenly.
A long, long time it's been coming. It began ... yes ... that night ...
do you remember?--that night over two years ago ... when you came to my
room...."--she hesitated, caught her lip hard for a second, went on in a
lower voice--"when you came to me--not yourself ... for drink...."

He had put up one hand over his eyes as he leaned with his elbow on the
mantelpiece. He said in a choked voice:

"I've been a beast ... sometimes ... I admit."

She hesitated again; then said, whispering:

"_That_ was a pleasure you always put before me."

"Don't!" he said.

"I won't, then," she answered pityingly.

Her eyes scalded with tears. Her hands, locked hard together, were
trembling.

There was a long pause.

"Sophy," he said presently, very low, his hand still over his eyes, "how
if I take an oath to you never to drink again?"

She looked with a tender, wise look at his hidden face.

"You would come to hate me for it in the end, dear."

"Oh ... Sophy...."

"Yes, dear. You would."

"I know.... You think I couldn't keep it," he said miserably.

"No. But if you kept it, you would be hating me all the time."

A gush of bitterness rose in him.

"So _that's_ what you think of me?" he said.

"It's what I think your nature would make you feel--bound by such an
oath."

There came another pause.

He broke out rather vehemently again:

"At least do me the justice to admit that I was dead set against having
Linda visit us...."

"Yes. I remember. But it would have come sooner or later. You would have
been thrown with her in other ways."

"You really think I ... a ... care for her?"

Sophy didn't answer for a second or two; then she said:

"Morris ... that morning at Newport ... when you said those words to me
... you told me afterwards--that it was Belinda who had made you ...
suspect me."

"Ah ... don't put it that way!..."

"What other way can I put it? You did tell me it was Belinda, didn't
you?"

"Yes. And a more...."

"Wait, Morris. I want to ask you something. Whether you answer it or
not, I must ask it. It's this: You had been with Belinda--before you
came to me. Had you been together--like lovers?"

He dropped his face into his two hands. She could see the hot flush on
it between his fingers.

"O