You oughtn't to have received him."
"Then do you mind so dreadfully having people know you've asked me to
marry you, and that I've said 'yes'?"
Margot Lorenzi's expression of pathetic reproach was as effective as her
eyelash play, when seen for the first time, as Stephen knew to his
sorrow. But he had seen the one as often as the other.
"You must know I didn't mean anything of the sort. Oh, Margot, if you
don't understand, I'm afraid you're hopeless."
"If you speak like that to me, I shall simply end everything as my
father did," murmured the young woman, in a stifled, breaking voice. But
her eyes were blazing.
It almost burst from Stephen to order her not to threaten him again, to
tell her that he was sick of melodrama, sick to the soul; but he kept
silence. She was a passionate woman, and perhaps in a moment of madness
she might carry out her threat. He had done a great deal to save her
life--or, as he thought, to save it. After going so far he must not fail
now in forbearance. And worse than having to live with beautiful,
dramatic Margot, would it be to live without her if she killed herself
because of him.
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said when he could control
his voice.
She smiled. "No, of course you didn't. It was stupid of me to fly out. I
ought to know that you're always good. But I _don't_ see what harm the
interview could do you, or me, or any one. It lets all the world know
how gloriously you've made up to me for the loss of the case, and the
loss of my father; and how you came into my life just in time to save me
from killing myself, because I was utterly alone, defeated, without
money or hope.
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