"First, I have arranged everything! You will marry--not a trainer or a secretary, but a gentleman, Captain Markett-Blount, an English gentleman whom I have bought. No--listen to me! Understand everything! I am not putting you into the demi-monde; I'm giving you a chance at everything. You will have a social position. You will go wherever I want you to go. You can remain married, or you can divorce, when you want. You will have a husband who will do as I wish! I give him fifty thousand for his name. I will give him the same to free you. You will marry the hour you say--to-night. You will dine at my house; you will visit me on the same footing as Mrs. Sassoon's friends. In a week you will join a party on my yacht, and go with us to cruise into the Mediterranean, to Egypt, anywhere! No one will say a word--no one will dare! You will be in exactly the same position as a hundred women in society--any one who would come at a whistle from me! As for you--" "As for me?" she repeated, fascinated despite herself. "I will give you now, simply on your word, anything you ask. Name any sum. More, I will do what I have never done. Here, look! Here is a contract in black and white. Have it examined by your own lawyer. Write down whatever sum you want. Make it for one year or ten--I'll sign it! You can hold it over me; you can blackmail me, if you wish! And that is nothing to what I'll give you--jewels, houses--" "But you are mad!" she cried, horrified at the craving in his voice and the wildness in his eyes. "Yes, mad, Dodo. You are right--completely mad! But profit by it! You can place yourself anywhere; you can have anything from me! I myself will tell you how to torture me, to rob me--" "Never!" "Yes, yes! You will! You can't refuse such things!" he cried. "You're not a fool! Ah, I _will_ have you!" Suddenly, as she shuddered and closed her hands over her eyes with loathing, he glided around the table and caught her in his arms. "Sassoon! Here! You are crazy!" she cried, struggling frantically. "What do I care!" "Let me go! I'll scream!" "What do I care!" His arms inclosed her with the strength of steel, gripped her to him, struggling to bring her face to his, crying incoherent brutal words that left her sick with loathing, a cold hard pain penetrating into her breast, frightened, helpless, trying to beat away the acquiring lips with savage fingers. At the moment when, despairing, she was about to cry aloud, mercifully there came a ring at the front door. He paused, trembling and breathless; and the next she had torn herself away from him and escaped up-stairs, shaken in every muscle, sick with horror and enraged loathing. Snyder up, stared in amazement at her disordered figure. The soiling embrace seemed to cling to her arms, to her neck, to the very clothes she had on. She tore them from her with disgust, with sickening. "Lord! Dodo, what's happened?" cried Snyder, starting up.