"But you do! You do! You do! You're there before me now!" gasped Mr. Montagu through chattering teeth. "How can you deny that you're sitting here with me in this restaurant? I forgive you--I love you, and I forgive you, but, thank God, _I see through you at last_! You're a fanatic, a poor, frenzied maniac on this subject, and you've morbidly spied on and studied me as a typical case of it; through your devilish understanding and divination you've guessed at that conversation between me and my wife, and like the creature I pictured you in my house, a ravening, devouring thing, you've sought to drag me into your hell of madness! But you shan't! I tell you I see through you at last, you pitiful mad creature! You know you're there before my eyes, and just so truly as you are, not one syllable do I believe of what you've told me!" As the boy sprang with a venomous shout to his feet, all the hate in his terrible being sprang tenfold into his eyes. "Do you call me 'mad,' and 'creature'? Do you dare deny me, now, after all I've told you? You coward, you _coward_! You've denied me life, but you can't deny this night! The people in this place will let you know presently! I tried to spare you. Though I'd thirsted for my revenge I pleaded with you, _prayed_ to you to spare yourself! If you'd stayed in the house, you might have come to your senses and forgotten me! But what hope for you is there _now_? Do you still believe I exist? Look back at the night! Do you remember the portrait? You commanded me to stop--commanded, as you've always commanded my fate, and I was powerless. To me, that was a parental command--from _you_, you who deliberately _wouldn't_ be my parent! Did you see me wince under it? If you hadn't done it, you'd have found me out right then! I'm not a physical thing, and I couldn't have moved it! I only _said_ I was going to Maurice's! I couldn't have come here if you hadn't brought me! When you wondered, as we were starting out, whether I had a hat, I stooped down in the hall. But you only thought I picked one up! As we came in here, you only _thought_ I checked it! Did you see the man stare as you reached out to take my check away from me? Have I eaten or drunk to-night? I've not, for I'm not a _creature_! And mad, I? Look to yourself, as I told you to look before it was too late! You fool, you've been staring inoffensive women out of countenance, with all the hate from my face printed on yours, and in the eyes of all these people you've been sitting here for half an hour talking to yourself, and ordering wine and food for an empty chair! _You_ won't ever believe you're mad, but every one else will!" "So help me God," cried Henry Montagu, white and trembling, "you're there! I swear you're there!" "So help you God, I'm _there_!" cried the boy frightfully, pointing straight at him.