Are you suggesting that I should
make provision for the support of you and your mother away from my
intolerable proximity? My income is not large, as I think you are aware,
but of course, if a demand of this kind is seriously made, I must do my
best to comply with it.'

'It hurts me very much that you can understand me no better than this.'

'I am sorry. I think we used to understand each other, but that was
before you were subjected to the influence of strangers.'

In his perverse frame of mind he was ready to give utterance to any
thought which confused the point at issue. This last allusion was
suggested to him by a sudden pang of regret for the pain he was causing
Marian; he defended himself against self-reproach by hinting at the true
reason of much of his harshness.

'I am subjected to no influence that is hostile to you,' Marian replied.

'You may think that. But in such a matter it is very easy for you to
deceive yourself.'

'Of course I know what you refer to, and I can assure you that I don't
deceive myself.'

Yule flashed a searching glance at her.

'Can you deny that you are on terms of friendship with a--a person who
would at any moment rejoice to injure me?'

'I am friendly with no such person. Will you say whom you are thinking
of?'

'It would be useless. I have no wish to discuss a subject on which we
should only disagree unprofitably.'

Marian kept silence for a moment, then said in a low, unsteady voice:

'It is perhaps because we never speak of that subject that we are so
far from understanding each other. If you think that Mr Milvain is
your enemy, that he would rejoice to injure you, you are grievously
mistaken.'

'When I see a man in close alliance with my worst enemy, and looking to
that enemy for favour, I am justified in thinking that he would injure
me if the right kind of opportunity offered. One need not be very deeply
read in human nature to have assurance of that.'

'But I know Mr Milvain!'

'You know him?'

'Far better than you can, I am sure. You draw conclusions from general
principles; but I know that they don't apply in this case.'

'I have no doubt you sincerely think so. I repeat that nothing can be
gained by such a discussion as this.'

'One thing I must tell you. There was no truth in your suspicion that Mr
Milvain wrote that review in The Current. He assured me himself that he
was not the writer, that he had nothing to do with it.'

Yule looked askance at