She replied, more restrainedly: "I've never met anybody who's altered so much as you have in the last six months. You've sunk lower and lower--in every way, until now--everybody hates you. You're simply a ruin." Still quietly he said: "Yes, that's true." And then watching to see the effect that his words had upon her, he added: "Clare said so." "What!" she screamed, frenzied again. "Yes, _she_ knows! _She_ knows how she's ruined you! She knows better than anybody! And she taunted you with it! How I loathe her!" "And me too, eh?" She made no answer. Then, more quietly than ever, he said: "Yes, Clare knows what a failure I've been and how low I've sunk. But she doesn't think it's due to her, and neither do I." He would not say more than that. He wondered if she would perceive the subtle innuendo which he half-meant and half did not mean; which he would not absolutely deny, and yet would not positively affirm; which he was prepared to hint, but only vaguely, because he was not perfectly sure himself. Whether or not she did perceive it he was not able to discover. She was silent for some while and then said: "Well, I repeat what I said--I'm going to leave you so that you can get a divorce." He shrugged his shoulders. "You can leave me if you wish, but I shall not get a divorce." "Why not?" "Because for one thing I shan't be able to." "And why do you think you won't?" "Because," he replied, coldly, "the law will not give me my freedom merely because we have lived a cat-and-dog life together. The law requires that you should not only leave me, but that you should run away with another man and commit misconduct with him." She nodded. "Yes, and that is what I propose to do." "_What_!" A curious silence ensued. He was utterly astounded, horrified, by her announcement; she was smiling at him, mocking his astonishment. He shouted at her, fiercely: "What's that!" She said: "I intend to do what you said." "What's that! You _what_?" "I intend to do what you said. I shall run away with another man and commit misconduct with him!" "God!" he exclaimed, clenching his teeth, and stamping the floor. "It's absurd. You can't. You wouldn't dare. Oh, it's impossible. Besides--good God, think of the scandals! Surely I haven't driven you to _that_! Who would you run away with?" His anger began to conquer his astonishment. "You little fool, Helen, you can't do it! I forbid you! Oh, Lord, what a mess we're in! Tell me, who's the man you're thinking of! I demand to know. Who is he? Give me his name!" And she said, cuttingly: "Pritchard." On top of his boiling fury she added: "We've talked it over and he's quite agreed to--to oblige me in the matter, so you see I really do mean things this time, darling Kenneth!" And she laughed at him. II