r
to think that--just now--you are not accountable for your actions."
He stopped again before her. "Your mind is unhinged," he said, with
unction. "To go now would be adding crime--yes, crime--to folly. I'll
have no scandal in my life, no matter what's the cost. And why? You are
sure to misunderstand me--but I'll tell you. As a matter of duty. Yes.
But you're sure to misunderstand me--recklessly. Women always do--they
are too--too narrow-minded."

He waited for a while, but she made no sound, didn't even look at
him; he felt uneasy, painfully uneasy, like a man who suspects he
is unreasonably mistrusted. To combat that exasperating sensation
he recommenced talking very fast. The sound of his words excited his
thoughts, and in the play of darting thoughts he had glimpses now and
then of the inexpugnable rock of his convictions, towering in solitary
grandeur above the unprofitable waste of errors and passions.

"For it is self-evident," he went on with anxious vivacity, "it is
self-evident that, on the highest ground we haven't the right--no, we
haven't the right to intrude our miseries upon those who--who naturally
expect better things from us. Every one wishes his own life and the life
around him to be beautiful and pure. Now, a scandal amongst people of
our position is disastrous for the morality--a fatal influence--don't
you see--upon the general tone of the class--very important--the
most important, I verily believe, in--in the community. I feel
this--profoundly. This is the broad view. In time you'll give me . . .
when you become again the woman I loved--and trusted. . . ."

He stopped short, as though unexpectedly suffocated, then in a
completely changed voice said, "For I did love and trust you"--and again
was silent for a moment. She put her handkerchief to her eyes.

"You'll give me credit for--for--my motives. It's mainly loyalty to--to
the larger conditions of our life--where you--you! of all women--failed.
One doesn't usually talk like this--of course--but in this case you'll
admit . . . And consider--the innocent suffer with the guilty. The world
is pitiless in its judgments. Unfortunately there are always those in
it who are only too eager to misunderstand. Before you and before my
conscience I am guiltless, but any--any disclosure would impair my
usefulness in the sphere--in the larger sphere in which I hope soon to
. . . I believe you fully shared my views in that matter--I don't want
to say any more