f as good as to let everyone know that you
honourably gave it up when it was in your power dishonestly to keep
it! Oh, surely _that_ is the kind of example that the world needs! What
causes all the misery but dishonesty and selfishness? If you do away
with that, you gain all you are working for. The example! You should
prize the opportunity. You are deceiving yourself; it is a temptation
that you are yielding to. Think a moment; you will see that I am right.
You cannot do a thing so unworthy of yourself.'

He stood for a moment doggedly, then replied:

'I can and I shall do it.'

'Never!' Adela rose and faced him. 'You shall listen to me till you
understand. You, who pride yourself on your high motives! For your own
sake scorn this temptation. Let me take the will away. I will put it
somewhere till to-morrow. You will see clearly by then. I know how
dreadful this loss seems to you, but you must be stronger.'

He stood between her and the table on which the parchment lay, and waved
her back as she approached. Adela's voice trembled, but there was not a
note in it that he could resent.

'You wrong yourself, and you are cruel to me. How could I live with you
if you did such a thing? How could I remain in this house when it was
no longer yours? It is impossible, a thousand times impossible. You
_cannot_ mean it! If you do this in spite of everything I can say, you
are more cruel than if you raised your hand and struck me. You make my
life a shame; you dishonour and degrade me.'

'That's all nonsense,' he replied sullenly, the jealous motive
possessing him again at the sight of her gleaming eyes. 'It's you who
don't understand, and just because you have no sympathy with my work.
Any one would think you cared for nothing but to take the money from me,
just to--'

Even in his access of spiteful anger he checked himself, and dropped to
another tone.

'I take all the responsibility. You have nothing to do with it. What
seems right to me, I shall do. I am your husband, and you've no voice in
a thing like this.'

'No voice? Have I no right to save you from ruin? Must a wife stand by
and see her husband commit a crime? Have you no duty to me? What becomes
of our married life if you rob me of all respect for you?'

'I tell you I am doing it with a good motive. If you were a thorough
Socialist, you would respect me all the more. This money was made out of
overworked--'

He was laying his hand on the will; she sprang for