elievable that she had ever seriously
regarded him as a husband. And she found that tears were running down
her cheeks; and she felt all her girlishness and fragility. "Didn't I
always know," she asked herself with weak resignation, "that it was
unreal? What am I to do now?" The catastrophe had indeed happened to
her, and she could not deal with it! She did not even feel tragic. She
did not feel particularly resentful against George. She had read of such
catastrophes in the newspapers, but the reality of experience nonplussed
her. "I ought to do something," she reflected. "But what?"

"What's the use of me saying I'm sorry?" he asked savagely. "I acted for
the best. The chances were ten thousand to one against me being spotted.
But there you are! You never know your luck." He spoke meditatively, in
a rather hoarse, indistinct voice. "All owing to Florrie, of course!
When it was suggested we should have that girl, I knew there was a
danger. But I pooh-poohed it! I said nothing could possibly happen....
And just look at it now!... I wanted to cut myself clear of the Five
Towns, absolutely--absolutely! And then like a damnation fool I let
Florrie come here! If she hadn't come, that woman might have inquired
about me in Turnhill till all was blue, without you hearing about her!
But there it is!" He snapped his fingers. "It's my fault for being found
out! That's the only thing I'm guilty of.... And look at it! Look at
it!"

Hilda could tell from the movements of the vague form in the corner by
the door, and by the quality of his voice, that George Cannon was in a
state of extreme emotion. She had never known him half so moved. His
emotion excited her and flattered her. She thought how wonderful it was
that she, the shaking little girl who yesterday had run off with
fourpence to buy a meal at a tripe-shop, should be the cause of this
emotion in such a man. She thought: "My life is marvellous." She was
dizzied by the conception of the capacity of her own body and soul for
experience. No factors save her own body and soul and his had been
necessary to the bringing about of the situation. It was essential only
that the man and the woman should be together, and their companionship
would produce miracles of experience! She ceased crying. Astounding that
she had never, in George's eyes, suspected his past! It was as if he had
swiftly opened a concealed door in the house of their passion and
disclosed a vista of which she had not d