,
of course, that you were drunk. Many times now you have come home
drunk, and next morning I pretended not to know it. I must not
pretend now, since now to be clear about it is my only chance of
comfort and your only chance of self-respect."

He groaned.

"Lass, I could cut my hand off for it! When a man gets overtaken--"

"No, no," her voice suddenly grew animated; "for God's sake, William,
don't cry over it! You are not a David." She shivered, as a trick
of memory brought back to her the night in the harvest field when she
had broken out in wrath against her least admired of Biblical
heroes--the same night on which she had first set eyes on this man,
whose ring and whose bruise she wore.

"Do not use cheating words, either," she went on. "You were not
overtaken by liquor; you went out to meet it, as you have gone night
after night. Call it by the straight name. Listen: I like you well
enough, William, to help you, if I can--indeed, I have tried.
But there seems to be something in drink which puts aside help: the
only fighting of any worth must come from the man himself--is it not
so?"

"I have fought, lass."

"Drink up your tea, my man, and fight it again! Come home to me
earlier, and with a firmer step, and each night will be a victory,
better worth than all the cries and sobbings in the world."

He gazed at her stupidly as she put out a hand and laid it gently on
his wrist. He covered his eyes.

"I--struck--you!" he muttered.

She winced. Startled by the sudden withdrawal of her touch, he
lowered his hand and looked at her. Her eyes, though brimming, met
his steadily.

"Tears are for women," she said. "I must cry a little: but see, I am
not afraid."

For some months after this he fought the drink; fought it steadily.
With Christmas came a relapse, through which she nursed him. To her
dismay she found the fit, during the few days that it lasted, more
violent than before, and thought of the house swept and garnished and
the devil returning with others worse than himself. Her consolation
was that at his worst now he seemed to turn to her, and depend on
her--almost to supplicate--for help. The struggle left them both
exhausted: but he had not attempted to beat her this time. She tried
to persuade herself that this meant amendment, and that the outbreaks
would grow rarer and at length cease altogether.

Throughout the spring and summer of 1731 his health improved, and
with it his kindn