She sprang to her feet, strong now in her unmitigated scorn. “Irrevocable? Irrevocable? And you ask me this ... with _her_ in your mind? Ah--but you’re abominable!” “Am I? I don’t know ... my head reels with it. She’s terribly young; she feels things terribly. She won’t give up--she wouldn’t before.” “Don’t--don’t! Leave her out of this. I’m not here to discuss her with you, I’m here to tell you to go, and to go at once.” He made no answer, but turned and walked across the room and back. Then he sank into his chair, and renewed his study of the carpet. Finally he looked up again, with one of the tentative glances she knew so well: those glances that seemed to meet one’s answer half-way in their desire to say what one would expect of him. “Is there any use in your taking this tone?” Again that appeal--it was too preposterous! But suddenly, her eyes on the huddled misery of his attitude, the weakness of his fallen features, she understood that the cry was real; that he was in agony, and had turned to her for help. She crossed the room and laid her hand on his shoulder. “No; you’re right; it’s of no use. If you’ll listen I’ll try to be calm. I want to spare you--why shouldn’t I want to?” She felt her hand doubtfully taken and laid for a moment against his cheek. The cheek was wet. “I’ll listen.” “Well, then; I won’t reproach you; I won’t argue with you. Why should I,” she exclaimed with a flash of inspiration, “when all the power is mine? If I came in anger, in abhorrence ... well, I feel only pity now. Don’t reject it--don’t reject my pity. This awful thing has fallen on both of us together; as much on me as on you. Let me help you--let us try to help each other.” He pressed the hand closer to his face and then dropped it. “Ah, you’re merciful.... I think I understand the abhorrence better. I’ve been a cad and a blackguard, and everything else you like. I’ve been living with the thought of it day and night. Only, now--” “Well, now,” she panted, “let me help you; let me--Chris,” she cried, “let me make it possible for you to go. I know there may be all sorts of difficulties--material as well as others--and those at least--” He looked up at her sharply, as if slow to grasp her words. Then his face hardened and grew red. “You’re bribing me? I see. I didn’t at first. Well--you’ve the right to, I suppose; there’s hardly any indignity you haven’t the right to lay on me. Only--it’s not so simple. I’ve already told you--” “Don’t name her again! Don’t make me remember.... Chris, I want to help you as if this were ... were any other difficulty.... Can’t we look at it together in that way?”