CHAPTER XII
"ROOTED IN DISHONOUR"
Government House, Ganeshkind, outside Poona, the residence of theGovernor of Bombay during the Rains, was blazing with light and gay withthe sound of music; for His Excellency was giving a fancy dress ball.Motors and carriages were still rolling up in a long line to theentrance where the gorgeously-clad Indian Cavalry soldiers of theGovernor's Bodyguard--tall and stately back-bearded men in long scarlettunics, white breeches and high black boots, their heads swathed ingaudy _loongies_ (turbans) with tails streaming down their backs,holding steel-headed bamboo lances with red and white pennons in theirwhite-gauntleted right hands--lined the approach. Inside, the splendidballroom, ablaze with electric lights, was crowded with gaily-dressedfigures in costumes beautiful or bizarre. The good-looking, middle-agedbaron who was the King's representative in the Bombay Presidency wasstanding, dressed as Charles II., beside his plain but pleasant-featuredwife in the garb of Amy Robsart, receiving the last of their guests,while already the dancing had begun.
Later in the evening a group of officers in varied costumes stood nearone of the entrances criticising the dresses and the company.
"By George, that's a magnificent kit," said a Garrison Gunner justarrived on short leave from Bombay. "What's it supposed to be?"
"A Polish hussar, I think," replied a subaltern in Wellesley's Rifles.
"No, he's Murat, Napoleon's cavalry leader," said an Indian Lancercaptain.
The wearer of the costume alluded to was passing them in a waltz. He wasa young man in a splendid old-time hussar uniform, a scarlet dolmanthick-laced with gold, a fur-trimmed slung pelisse, tight scarletbreeches embroidered down the front of the thighs in gold, and long redRussian leather boots with gold tassels. He was good-looking, but not inan English way, and the swarthiness of his complexion and a slight kinkin his dark hair seemed to hint a trace of coloured blood. He wasplainly Israelite in appearance; and the large nose with theunmistakable racial curved nostril would become bulbous with years, thefirm cheeks flabby and the plump chin double.
"That dress cost some money, I'll bet," said the Gunner, cheaply attiredas a Pierrot. "Just look at the gold lace. I say, he's got glassbuttons."
"Glass be hanged, Fergie, they're diamonds. Real diamonds, honourbright, Murat wore diamonds. He was buckin' about them in the Clubto-night," said a captain in a British infantry regiment quartered inPoona. "That's Rosenthal of the 2nd Hussars from Bangalore. Son of oldRosenthal the South African multi-millionaire. A Sheeny, of course."
"Who's the woman he's dancing with?" asked the Gunner. "Jollygood-looking she is."
"That's Mrs. Norton, wife of a Political somewhere in the Presidency.Rosenthal's always in her pocket since he met her at Mahableshwar."
As the dance ended the many couples streamed out of the ballroom andmade for the _kala juggas_--the "black places," as the sitting-out spotsare appropriately termed in India from the carefully-arranged lack oflight in them. Mrs. Norton, looking very lovely as Mary, Queen of Scots,and her partner crossed the verandah and went out into the unlit gardenin search of seats. The first few they stumbled on were alreadyoccupied, a fact that the darkness prevented them from realising untilthey almost sat down on the occupants. At last in a retired corner ofthe garden Rosenthal found a bench in a recess in the wall. As theyseated themselves he blurted out roughly:
"I'm sick of all this, Vi. When do you mean to give me your answer? I'mdamned if I'm going to hang on waiting much longer. I'm fed up withIndia and the Army. I mean to cut it all."
"Well, Harry, what do you want?" asked his companion, smiling in thedarkness at his vehemence.
"Want? You. And you know it. I want to take you away from this rottencountry. What's all this----," he waved his hand towards the lightedballroom, "compared to Paris, Monte Carlo, Cairo, Ostend when the racesare on? Let's go where life is worth living. This is stagnation."
"Oh, I find it amusing. You forget, we women have a better time in Indiathan in Europe. There are too many of us there, so you don't value us."
"Better time. Oh, Law! What rot!" He laughed rudely. "You've never livedyet, dear. Look here, Vi. My father's one of the three richest men inSouth Africa; and all he's got will come to me some day. As it is hegives me an allowance bigger than those of all the other men in theregiment put together. I hate the Service and its idiotic discipline. Iwant to be free--to go where money counts. Damn India!"
"Doesn't it count everywhere?" she asked, fanning herself lazily. Hisrough, almost boorish, manner amused her always. She felt as if she wereplaying with a caged tiger. "Doesn't it here?"
"No; in the Army they seem to think more of some damned pauper who comesof a 'county family,' as they call it, than of a fellow like me whocould buy up a dozen of them. I hate them all. And I mean to chuck it.But I want you to come with me, Vi. And, what's more, I mean to haveyou."
"But your father wishes you to stay in the Service. You told me soyourself. Will he like it if you leave--and will he continue yourallowance?"
"Oh, I'll get round him. He's only got me. He's no one else to leave hismoney to. It'd be all right, Vi. Answer me. I mean to get you."
He grasped her wrist and tried to drag her towards him. She laughed andheld him off.
"Take care, my dear boy. Darkness has ears. We're not alone in thegarden, please remember. If you can't behave prettily I'm going back tothe ballroom. Come, there's the music beginning again."
He tried to seize her in his arms, but she eluded his grasp with adexterity that argued practice, and, rising, moved across the grass. Hefollowed sulkily, dominated by her cool and careless indifference. Whenthey reached the verandah one of the Government House aides-de-camprushed up to her.
"Oh, Mrs. Norton, I've been hunting for you everywhere. I've a messagefrom His Excellency. He wants you to come to his table at supper andsave him from the Members of Council's awful wives."
"Oh, thanks, Captain Gardner, I'll come with pleasure," she answered,smiling prettily on him. An A.D.C. is always worth cultivating.
"I say, is it hopeless asking you for a dance now?" he said. "We poordevils of the Staff don't get a chance at the beginning of the evening,as we're so busy introducing people to Their Excellencies."
She looked at her programme.
"You can have this, if you like. It's only with some Indian Civilian inspectacles; and I hate the Heaven Born. They're such bores." She smiledand sailed off on the A.D.C.'s arm to the disgust of Rosenthal, calmlyabandoned. But he could not help being amused when a round-faced youngman dressed as an ancient Greek with gig-lamp spectacles rushed up toovertake Mrs. Norton before she entered the ballroom, and stopped indismay to gaze after her open-mouthed and peer at his programme.
But the Hussar drove her back from Government House to Poona in hisparticularly luxurious Rolls-Royce with an English chauffeur and wouldhardly let her go when the car drew up before the door of the MunsterHotel where she was staying. Laughing, crushed and dishevelled, shebroke from him and jumped out of the automobile, ran up the verandahsteps and turned to wave to him as the chauffeur started off to take himto his quarters in the Club of Western India.
Still smiling Violet stumbled up the unlighted stairs and reached hersitting-room. When she turned up the lamp a letter lying on the tablecaught her eyes. She picked it up indifferently; but when she saw thatit bore the handwriting of one of her Calcutta cousins and theDarjeeling postmark she tore it open eagerly and ran her eye rapidlydown the pages. She came to the lines:
"I have seen the man you asked me about. He is always with a girl called Benson, rather a pretty little thing. She is popular with all the men; but Mr. Wargrave seems to be the favourite. They are staying at the same hotel; and everyone says they are engaged."
Then the writer went on to talk of family matters. But Violet read nomore. Her eyes flamed with anger as she crumpled the paper up, flung iton the floor and stamped it under foot. She paced the room angrily,tearing the lace handkerchief she held in her ha
nds to shreds. This,then, was Frank's loyalty to her, this was how he consoled himself forher absence. With this chit of a girl, with whom he probably laughed ather, Violet's readiness to give up reputation, good fame, home, for him.She almost sobbed with jealous rage at the idea. She forgot her owninfidelities and want of remembrance and felt herself to be a deceivedand much-abused woman. But she would not bear such treatment meekly.Frank was hers; no other woman had a right to him, should ever have him.She was resolved on that. She stopped and, picking up the letter,smoothed it out and re-read it. Then, frowning, she passed into herbedroom and tore off her costume. Not for an instant did she sleepduring the remainder of the night, but tossed on her bed, revolvingplans of vengeance.
Next day she was seated in the train on her way to Darjeeling, ajourney that would take days. She had telegraphed fruitlessly for a roomat the Oriental Hotel at which she knew from his letters that Frank wasstaying; but she had secured one at the larger Eastern Palace where herCalcutta relatives were residing. Only on the second day of her journeydid she wire to Wargrave, bidding him meet her on her arrival.
As the train carried her across India her heart was still filled withanger, jealousy and almost hate of the man whom she had favoured aboveall others and who spurned her, dared to be faithless to her, it seemed.She did not know how much love she had left for him; for his image hadgrown dim in the flight of time and among the distractions of gayerstations than Rohar. Certainly she had flirted herself, flirtedrecklessly; but that was a different matter to his faithlessness. Shemight do it; but he must not. Did she want him? She hardly knew. But shewas not going to be put aside for this tiger-killing young person, thisjungle girl, who must be taught not to trespass on Violet's property.
Then her mind went back to Rosenthal; and in the solitude of the ladies'compartment she laughed aloud at the thought of the shock that hisself-sufficiency must have received when he learned of her sudden andmysterious disappearance from Poona. For she had left him no word. Itwould do him good; he needed a lesson, for he was too sure of her. Shehad never troubled to analyse her feelings for him and did not knowwhether she liked or hated him most. She saw his faults clearly, hisblatant conceit, his irritating belief in the supremacy of money, hisarrogance, his bad manners. She knew that men deemed him a bounder. Buthis very boorishness, his savage outbreaks against conventionality,attracted her. Under the thin veneer of civilisation, he was simply ananimal; she knew it and it appealed to her baser nature, the sensualstrain in her. That he was beast, and wild beast at that, did notaffright her; she felt that she could always dominate him when shewould. Once or twice the beast had come out into the open; but she haddriven it back with a whip--and she believed that she could always doit. The wealth, the life of luxury that he offered, appealed to herstrongly; but she kept her head and remembered that he was dependent onhis father's bounty, and she had no intention of compromising herselfirretrievably under such circumstances. If he had the disposal of theold man's immense riches then the temptation might be over-powering; butuntil he had she would wait. And ever the memory of Wargrave obtrudeditself, rather to her annoyance; but angry as she was with him she couldnot pretend to herself that she was indifferent to him.
Up in Darjeeling on the very day that she left Poona Frank sat withMiss Benson under a massive, orchid-clad tree in the lovely BotanicalGardens, gazing moodily down into the depths of the valley far belowthem. Turning suddenly he found his companion looking at him. Somethingin her eyes moved him strongly and he forgot his caution.
"Muriel, you know how it is with, me," he said impetuously. "I oughtn'tto say anything; but--well, all the men here run after you, and I can'tbear it. I'm a fool, I know, but I can't help being jealous. I'm alwaysafraid that some one of them will take you from me. The other womanseems to be forgetting me completely. She hasn't written to me forweeks, months. Surely she's tiring of me. I don't suppose she everreally cared for me--just was bored in that dull station. If--if shesets me free would you--could you ever like me well enough to marry me?"
The girl looked away over the valley and a little smile crept into hereyes. Then she turned to him and laid her hand on his.
"Dear boy, if you were free I would," she answered.
They were all alone, no one to see them; and his arms went out to her.But she drew back.
"Not yet, dear. You're another woman's property still," she said.
He bit his lip.
"Yes, you're right, sweetheart. But--well, even if I weren't, I haven'tmuch to offer you. I'm still in debt; and I'd be only condemning you topass all your existence in the jungle."
"There'd be no hardship in that, dear. I love the forest better thananywhere else in the world. Life in it is happiness to me."
"But would you be content to live as Mrs. Dermot does?"
"Content? I'd love it better than anything else, if I were with you."
Then he forgot her reproof and she her high-minded resolves as his armswent round her and he drew her to him until their lips met in a long,passionate kiss. Afterwards they sat hand in hand and talked of what thefuture would hold for them if only Fate were kind. And Mrs. Norton,speeding across India to shatter their dream-world, smiled a littlegrimly as she pictured to herself her meeting with Frank.
Next day the blow fell. Wargrave was sitting at lunch with Mrs. Dermotand Muriel in the hotel dining-room when Violet's telegram was handed tohim. His companions could see that he had received bad news; but hepulled himself together and said nothing about it until he was alonewith Mrs. Dermot in her private sitting-room after _tiffin_. Then heexclaimed suddenly, handing her the telegram:
"She's on her way here."
Noreen understood even before she looked at the paper. When she readthe message she asked:
"What's she coming here for?"
"I don't know. I haven't had a letter from her for a long time," hereplied wearily.
"What are you going to do about her?"
"What can I?" he said with a gesture of despair. "It's for her todecide. If she wishes it I must keep my word."
"But Muriel? What of her? You know she cares for you. Has she no rightto be considered?" demanded her friend impatiently. "Are you going toruin her life as well as yours? This woman will only drag you down. Shecan't really be fond of you or she wouldn't forget you as she's beendoing. You don't love her. Don't you see what it will all mean toyou?--to be pilloried in the Divorce Court, made to pay enormous costs,perhaps heavy damages as well. And even now you say you're in debt. Andthen to be chained for life to a woman you don't care about while you'rein love with another. Oh, Mr. Wargrave, do be sensible. Tell her thetruth. Tell her you can't go on with it."
"I've given her my word," he said simply.
She pleaded with him passionately, but to no avail. At last, as Murielentered the room, she rose, saying:
"Tell her. I'll not mention the subject again."
And she walked indignantly into her bedroom and shut the door almostwith a bang; for the little woman was furious with him for what shedeemed his crass stupidity.
"What's the matter with Noreen?" asked the girl in surprise.
Without a word he gave her the telegram.
"Oh Frank!" she gasped, and sank overwhelmed into a chair, letting thefatal paper flutter to the floor.
He did not go to her but stood by the window, the image of despair,gazing out with unseeing eyes.
"What am I to do?" he asked miserably.
"You must keep your word if she wishes it," answered the girl bravely.
But the next moment she broke down and, burying her face in her hands,wept bitterly. He made no move to her; and she rose and went quietlyback to her own room.
In the interval that elapsed before Violet's arrival Mrs. Dermot did notabandon hope, and in spite of her words she attacked Wargravepersistently, trying to shake his resolution. But to her despair Murielsided with him and declared that he was right. So finally Noreen gave itup and vowed that she would wash her hands of the whole affair.
/> When Violet reached Darjeeling Wargrave met her at the railway station.Face to face with him her anger died and something of the attraction hehad had for her revived. So she greeted him effusively and all butembraced him on the platform. Other men seeing the meeting wondered whyhe looked so miserable when such a lovely woman evinced her delight atseeing him so plainly. She passed her arm through his with an air ofpossession and chatted volubly while he watched his servant help hers tocollect her luggage. When she took her seat in the _dandy_, or chaircarried on the shoulders of coolies, and was being conveyed towards herhotel she behaved as though they had not been parted a week, rattled ongaily about her doings in Poona and Mahableshwar and, with all theglories of the Himalayas about her, declared that the Bombayhill-station was far lovelier than Darjeeling. Wargrave was relievedthat she showed no desire to be sentimental and gladly responded to hermood, detailing the forthcoming gaieties and promising to take her tothem all.
When they reached the Eastern Palace Hotel and were shown up into herprivate sitting-room she put her hands on his shoulders as soon as theywere alone and said:
"Let me look at you, Frank. You have improved. You've grown handsomer, Ithink. Aren't you going to kiss me?"
He did it with so little fervour that she made a grimace and thought"It's quite time that I came to bring him to heel. Not much lovingardour about that. I wonder if he kisses the jungle girl as coldly."Aloud she said:
"Now let's go down to _tiffin_. I'm starving. Will you please secure atable and I'll follow you in a few minutes?"
During the meal she chattered gaily, criticised the dresses andappearance of the other women in the dining-room and, chaffing himmerrily on his want of appetite, ate a substantial meal herself. Mrs.Dermot, anxious to befriend him, had thought that she could help him byinviting him to bring Mrs. Norton to tea with her that afternoon. Whenduring _tiffin_ he hesitatingly conveyed the invitation Violet said:
"Oh, I don't want to be bothered with women, my dear boy. Take me outand show me the place and the shops and the _Gymkhana_--what do you callit here? Oh, the Amusement Club. No, stop a minute. Mrs. Dermot is yourdear friend from Ranga Duar, isn't she? So she's here. And the other,the jungle girl, where is she?"
Frank flushed as he replied:
"I suppose you mean Miss Benson? She's with Mrs. Dermot."
"So you're all staying at the same hotel. How very nice for you! But, mydear Frank, doesn't it strike you that it'll be rather dull for mestaying by myself here? You'll have to change to this hotel."
"I asked about rooms here; but they told me they're full up now."
"I'll see if I can't get round the manager and make him find a cornerfor you. Well, now for this tea-party. Yes; on second thoughts I'll go.I'd like to see the ladies who've been consoling you for my absence."
"Oh, nonsense, Violet. They haven't. They're just friends, that's all,"he said irritably.
"Of course, dear; I know. Well, tell me what these 'just friends' arelike."
She certainly derived little idea of them from Wargrave's lame attemptat description. And when later she and he were shown into Mrs. Dermot'ssitting-room at tea-time Noreen and Muriel found his picture of her as ameek, long-suffering, neglected wife very unlike the radiant,condescending lady who patronised them from the start. She showed atendency to address most of her conversation to the girl, despite thelatter's evident disinclination to talk, or perhaps because of it; forthe older woman seemed to take an impish delight in teasing her abouther friendship with Wargrave and their relations as nurse and patient,although it was apparent that her malicious humour made the othersuncomfortable. She paraded her authority over Frank and treated him likea hen-pecked husband. When finally she bore him away to escort her to theAmusement Club she left the two girls speechless behind her. But notfor the same reason. Noreen was furious.
"What a hateful woman!" she exclaimed as soon as her visitor departed."And I pitied her as a poor neglected wife! What do you think of her?"
Muriel only shook her head, as she sat looking despondent and thoroughlymiserable. Mrs. Norton's malice affected her little, but her undoubtedloveliness had made her despair. How could an insignificant littleperson like herself, she thought, hope to win affection from any manwhom this radiant beauty deigned to favour? Frank could not help adoringso attractive a woman. He must have loved her in Rohar, although he saidthat he had not. Muriel felt that she could have resigned herself moreeasily to his keeping his word to Violet, if the latter had been lessgood-looking.
Mrs. Dermot broke in on her miserable thoughts.
"Come, dear, we'll take the children for their walk and then go on laterto the Amusement Club."
"I couldn't go to the Club this evening, Noreen. I really couldn't. We'donly see that woman again--with Frank."
"Well, what of it? We're not going to let her think we're afraid to faceher. I've no patience with Mr. Wargrave. Whatever he can see in her Ican't think. You're worth twenty of her, darling. Shallow, conceited.She neglected? She badly treated? My sympathy is with her husband now.What fools men are!" And Noreen swept indignantly from the room.
Every moment of the hour that they spent in the Club that evening was alifetime of torture to Muriel. She had faced a charging tiger with lessdread than she did the crowd at the tea-tables in the rink. She fanciedthat every woman who looked at her was laughing in her sleeve at her,that every man who bowed or spoke to her was pitying her. Suddenly herheart seemed to stop beating, for she saw Frank sitting with Mrs. Nortonand two other ladies, her Calcutta cousins, as well as a couple of menin the British Infantry regiment at Lebong. They were looking at her;and she felt that Violet was pointing her out as the deserted maiden.She tried to smile bravely when her rival waved her hand and called outa cheery "good evening" to her and Noreen, who answered the greetingwith an almost defiant air of unconcern.
For days afterwards she saw practically nothing of Wargrave, who wasobliged to be in constant attendance on Mrs. Norton. Violet had inducedthe manager of her hotel to find a room for him; and he was forced totransfer himself and his belongings to the Eastern Palace. Shemonopolised him, insisted on his taking her shopping in the mornings,calling in the afternoons or to Lebong to watch the polo, or elseplaying tennis with her at the Amusement Club. He dined with her everyevening and escorted her to the dances, concerts or theatricals thatfilled the nights during the Season. He hardly recognised her in the gaysocial butterfly with seemingly never a care in the world; and she madehim wonder every day if she had any love left for him or wanted him tohave any for her. For she showed no desire to be sentimental and treatedhim very much as she had in the early days of their acquaintance. Shenever discussed their future. He had not the moral courage to ask heroutright if she still wanted to come to him. She gave no indication ofbeing happy only in his company; for she soon began to release him fromattendance on her on occasions in favour of some one or other of the newmen friends that she rapidly made. He took advantage of this to seesomething of Muriel again.
But this did not suit Mrs. Norton. Even if she did not want Frankherself that was no reason why the girl should have him. She tried beingjealous and insisted on his breaking off the friendship; but, althoughhe hated the scenes that ensued, he resolutely refused to do so. ThenViolet adopted another plan. She pretended to be convinced by hisassurances that it meant nothing and declared that she wished to befriends with Muriel. She went out of her way to be nice to the girl whenthey met in public and at last invited her to tea at the Eastern PalaceHotel on an afternoon on which she knew Mrs. Dermot to be engaged.Muriel accepted because she did not know very well how to refuse.
When she was shown into Mrs. Norton's private sitting-room she foundWargrave already there with her hostess, who received her very amiably.During tea the conversation flowed in safe channels at first. Butsuddenly Violet startled her guests by saying:
"Now, Miss Benson, that we three are alone I think it a good opportunityto speak very plainly about Frank's relations with you. I've just beengivin
g him a serious talking to about the way he has behaved to you."
The girl drew herself up haughtily.
"What do you mean, Mrs. Norton," she said. "The way Mr. Wargrave hasbehaved----? I don't understand you."
"Oh yes, you do. It's best to speak plainly. I'm afraid Frank has beenleading you to believe that he's in love with you----."
"Violet!" broke in Wargrave angrily. "Please don't go on. You've noright to say such things."
She smiled sweetly on him.
"Yes, I have, Frank. You know, my dear boy, that you've got pretty wayswith women--I fear he's rather a flirt, Miss Benson--that you are apt tomake some of them think you mean more than you do."
"What absurd nonsense!" he cried, more angrily still. "Please stop, Ibeg of you."
"No, Frank, it is only right that I should warn Miss Benson." Sheturned to the girl. "He hasn't told you, I'm sure, that he's not free tomarry you or any other girl."
Wargrave sprang up.
"I've told her everything about us, Violet," he protested. "I ask you asa favour to drop the subject."
The girl sat as if turned to stone while Mrs. Norton went on:
"You are young, my dear, and can't know much about men. I suppose you'velived in the jungle all your life. Now, a little bird has told me you'velet yourself get too fond of Frank--oh, he's very charming, I know, andthis playing at nursing a poor wounded hero is a dangerous game. But I'mgoing to tell you plainly that Frank is pledged to me. He has asked meto leave my husband for him, and I've consented; so there's no use yourtrying to catch him, my dear. You're too late."
The girl sprang indignantly to her feet.
"I've done nothing of the sort, Mrs. Norton. How dare you say so? You'veno right to speak to me as you're doing."
The older woman sat back coolly in her chair and laughed; but her eyesgrew hard.
"Oh yes, I have, my dear girl. You two were the talk of Darjeelingbefore I came. Of course you're angry, naturally, at failing to catchhim, but I'm going to put a stop to your trying, here and now. He hasgot to break with you."
"You are a wicked woman," began the girl; and then indignation chokedher.
Mrs. Norton leant forward in her chair.
"Can you deny that you're in love with him?" she asked.
Wargrave tried to interpose; but the girl waved him aside and faced herrival.
"I'll answer you. I am. I love him as you could never do. I was willingto give him up to you--for he loves me, not you--so that he should notbe false to his word. I didn't know what you were like, then. But now Idon't believe you'd ever make him happy. You don't love him--you haven'tgot it in you. You wouldn't be content with any one man. I've watchedyou. You're absolutely heartless; and you'd only make Frank miserable.You're willing to disgrace him as well as yourself. You don't mind ifyou ruin him. Frank----"
She turned towards Wargrave.
"You said you loved me. Is it true?"
He answered firmly:
"Yes, I do."
"Then will you marry me? This woman will only wreck your life. Choosebetween us."
He turned in desperation to Mrs. Norton.
"Violet, you don't really want me, do you? You don't love me. I've feltfor a long time that you're forgetting me. I love Muriel and she lovesme. If you ever cared for me release me from my promise."
Mrs. Norton lay back calmly in her chair and looked with a smile fromone to the other. Then she said deliberately:
"This morning I wrote to my husband and told him that I was neverreturning to him, that I was going to you, Frank. That is why I askedthis girl here to-day to tell you before her that now I'm going to askyou to keep your promise. Will you?"
The girl looked at him appealingly and stretched out her hands to him.
"Frank, for your own sake, if not for mine, don't listen to her."
He stood irresolute, torn by conflicting emotions. Then with an efforthe replied:
"Muriel, I must. I can't break my word."
Mrs. Norton gave a mocking laugh. The girl shrank from him and hid herface in her hands for a moment. Then she looked up and said, desperatelycalm:
"Very well, be it so. You've decided and there's nothing more to besaid. You've shamed me before this woman; and I never want to see youagain."
She turned and walked out of the room.