Douglas stared at her. “_I_ selfish and narrow-minded!” he said, with the calm of stupefaction. “Yes.” “I may have been narrow-minded in devoting myself so entirely to you,” said he slowly, after a pause. “But, though I do not ask for gratitude, I think I have been sufficiently a loser to disregard such a monstrous assertion as that I am selfish.” “You show your selfishness by dwelling on what you have lost. You never think of what I have lost. I make no profession of unselfishness. I am suffering for my folly and egoism; and I deserve to suffer.” “In what way, pray, are you suffering? You came here because you had a wretched home, and a husband who was glad to be rid of you. You do what you like, and have what you like. Name one solitary wish of yours that has not been silently gratified.” “I do not find fault with you. You have been generous in supplying me with luxuries such as money can obtain. But it was not the want of money that made me fancy my home wretched. It is not true that I can do as I like. How many minutes is it since you threatened to cast me off if I did not make myself agreeable to you? Can you boast of your generosity after taunting me with my dependence on you?” “You misunderstood me, Marian. I neither boasted, nor threatened, nor taunted. I have even apologized for that moment’s irritation. If you cannot forgive such a trifle, you yourself can have very little generosity.” “Perhaps not. I do not violently resent things; but I cannot forget them, nor feel as I did before they happened.” “You think so at present. Let us cease this bickering. Lovers’ quarrels should not be carried too far.” “I am longing to cease it. It worries me; and it does not alter my determination in the least.” “Do you mean——” “I do mean. Dont look at me like that: you make me angry instead of frightening me.” “And do you think I will suffer this quietly?” “You may suffer it as you please,” said Marian, stepping quietly to the wall, and pressing a button. “I will never see you again if I can help it. If you follow me, or persecute me in any way, I will appeal to the police for protection as Mrs. Conolly. I despise you more than I do any one on earth.” He turned away, and snatched up his coat and hat. She stood apparently watching him quietly, but really listening with quickened heart to his loud and irregular breathing. As he opened the door to go out, he was confronted on the threshold by a foreign waiter. “Vas you reeng?” said the waiter doubtfully, retreating a step. “I will not be accountable for that woman’s expenses from this time forth,” said Douglas, pointing at her, “You can keep her at your own risk, or turn her into the streets to pursue her profession, as you please.” The waiter, smiting vaguely, looked first at the retreating figure of Douglas, and then at Marian. “I want another room, if you please,” she said. “One on any of the upper floors will do; but I must have my things moved there at once.”