Besides, when all is said and done, the boy did die game. Don't you think that should count for something? No, I tell you I can't give him away now. I should never cease to reproach myself. I love Lucy far too much to cause her such bitter pain. DICK. And if it loses you her love? ALEC. I think she can do without love better than without self-respect. [LUCY _comes in with_ MRS. CROWLEY. LUCY. I've sent my partner away. I felt I must have a few words alone with you. DICK. Shall I take Mrs. Crowley into a retired corner? LUCY. No, we have nothing to say that you can't hear. You and Nellie know that we're engaged to be married. [_To_ ALEC.] I want you to dance with me. ALEC. It's very good of you. MRS. CROWLEY. Don't you think that's rather foolish, Lucy? LUCY. [_To_ ALEC.] I want to show them all that I don't believe that you're guilty of an odious crime. ALEC. They've said horrible things about me? LUCY. Not to me. They wanted to hide it from me, but I knew they were talking. ALEC. You'll grow used to hearing shameful things said of me. I suppose I shall grow used to it, too. LUCY. Oh, I hate them. ALEC. Ah, it's not that I mind. What torments me is that it was so easy to despise their praise, and now I can't despise their blame. MRS. CROWLEY. [_Smiling._] I believe you have some glimmerings of human nature in you after all. LUCY. When you came to-night, so calm and self-possessed, I admired you as I'd never admired you before. ALEC. It's easy enough to command one's face. I learnt to do that in Africa when often my life depended on my seeming to have no fear. But in my heart ... I never knew that I could feel so bitter. And yet, after all, it's only your good opinion that I care for. LUCY. I've trusted you implicitly from the first day I saw you. ALEC. Thank God for that! To-day is the first time I've wanted to be assured that I was trusted. And yet I'm ashamed to want it. LUCY. Ah, don't be too hard upon yourself. You're so afraid of letting your tenderness appear. ALEC. The only way to be strong is never to surrender to one's weakness. Strength is merely a habit like everything else. I want you to be strong, too. I want you never to doubt me whatever you may hear said. LUCY. I gave my brother into your hands, and told you that if he died a brave man's death I could ask for no more. ALEC. I should tell you that I've made up my mind to make no answer to the charges that are made against me. [_There is a very short pause, while he looks at her steadily._ MRS. CROWLEY. But why? ALEC. [_To_ LUCY.] I can give you my word of honour that I've done nothing which I regret. I know that what I did was right with regard to George, and if it were all to come again I would do exactly as I did before. LUCY. I think I can trust you. ALEC. I thought of you always, and everything I did was for your sake. Every single act of mine during these four years in Africa has been done because I loved you. LUCY.