ar sky, as it were. But there,
every fresh solution that occurs to me only makes the thing more
preposterous, more, I was going to say, disreputable--I mean, of course,
to the outside world. And we have our duties to perform to them too, I
suppose. Why, what can we say? What plausible account of ourselves have
we? We shall never be able to look anybody in the face again. I can
only--I am compelled to believe that God has been pleased to make this
precise visitation upon us--an eye for an eye, I suppose, SOMEWHERE. And
to that conviction I shall hold until actual circumstances convince me
that it's false. What, however, and this is all that I have to say now,
what I cannot understand are your amazing indiscretions.'

'Do you understand your own, Sheila?'

'My indiscretions, Arthur?'

'Well,' said Lawford, 'wasn't it indiscreet, don't you think, to risk
divine retribution by marrying me? Shouldn't you have inquired? Wasn't
it indiscreet to allow me to remain here in--in my "visitation?" Wasn't
it indiscreet to risk the moral stigma this unhappy face of mine must
cast on its surroundings? I am not sure whether such a change as this
constitutes cruelty.... Oh, what is the use of fretting and babbling on
like this?'

'Am I to understand, then, that you refuse positively to discuss this
horrible business any more? You are doing your best to drive me away,
Arthur; you must see that. Will you be very disappointed if I refuse to
go?'

Lawford rose from the bed. 'Listen just this once,' he said, seating
himself on the corner of the dressing-table. 'Imagine all this--whatever
you like to call it--obliterated. Take this,' he nodded towards the
glass, 'entirely for itself, on its own merits, as it were. Let the dead
past bury its dead. Which, now, precisely, REALLY do you prefer--him,'
he jerked his head in the direction of the dispassionate youthful
picture on the wall, 'him or me?'

He was so close to her now that he could see the faintest tremor on the
face that had suddenly become grey and still in the thin clear sunshine.

'I own it, I own it,' he went on, slowly; 'the change is more than
skin-deep now. One can't go through what I have gone through these last
few terrifying days, Sheila, unchanged. They have played the devil with
my body; now begins the tampering with my mind. Not even Danton knows
how it will end. But shall I tell you why you won't, why you can't
answer me that one question--him or me? Shall I tell you