She was very pale, her blue eyes dim and lifeless, with the lids heavy and red; she was in a dressing gown, her beautiful hair dishevelled, wound loosely into a knot at the back of her head. She had not half the beauty of her old self.... George, to affirm the superiority of virtue over vice, kept his hat on. She looked at him with frightened eyes, then her lips quivered, and turning away her head she fell on a chair and burst into tears. George looked at her sternly. His indignation was greater than ever now that he saw her. His old jealousy made him exult at the change in her. 'She's got nothing much to boast about now,' he said to himself, noting how ill she looked. 'Oh, George!'... she began, sobbing; but he interrupted her. 'I've come from father,' he said, 'and we don't want to have anything more to do with you, and you're not to write.' 'Oh!' She looked at him now with her eyes suddenly quite dry. They seemed to burn her in their sockets. 'Did he send you here to tell me that?' 'Yes; and you're not to come down.' She put her hand to her forehead, looking vacantly before her. 'But what am I to do? I haven't got any money; I've pawned everything.' George looked at her silently; but he was horribly curious. 'Why did he leave you?' he said. She made no answer; she looked before her as if she were going out of her mind. 'Has he left you any money?' asked George. Then she started up, her cheeks flaming red. 'I wouldn't touch a halfpenny of his. I'd rather starve!' she screamed. George shrugged his shoulders. 'Well, you understand?' he said. 'Oh, how can you! It's all you and mother. You've always hated me. But I'll pay you out, by God! I'll pay you out. I know what you are, all of you--you and mother, and all the Blackstable people. You're a set of damned hypocrites.' 'Look here, Daisy! I'm not going to stand here and hear you talk like that of me and mother,' he replied with dignity; 'and as for the Blackstable people, you're not fit to--to associate with them. And I can see where you learnt your language.' Daisy burst into hysterical laughter. George became more angry--virtuously indignant. 'Oh, you can laugh as much as you like! I know your repentance is a lot of damned humbug. You've always been a conceited little beast. And you've been stuck up and cocky because you thought yourself nice-looking, and because you were educated in Tercanbury. And no one was good enough for you in Blackstable. And I'm jolly glad that all this has happened to you; it serves you jolly well right. And if you dare to show yourself at Blackstable, we'll send for the police.' Daisy stepped up to him. 'I'm a damned bad lot,' she said, 'but I swear I'm not half as bad as you are.... You know what you're driving me to.'