“Very well,” Geoffrey blundered on, “every penny you have is made out of prostitution, out of the sale of women to men.  You saw the Yoshiwara, you saw the poor women imprisoned there, you know that any drunken beast can come and pay his money down and say, ’I want that girl,’ and she has to give herself up to be kissed and pulled about by him, even if she hates him and loathes him.  Well, all this filthy Yoshiwara and all those poor girls and all that dirty money belongs to these Fujinami and to you.  That is why they are so rich, and that is why we have been so rich.  If we were in England, we could be flogged for this, and imprisoned, and serve us right too.  And all this money is bad; and, if we keep it, we are worse than criminals; and neither of us can ever be happy, or look any one in the face again.”

Asako was shaking her head gently like an automaton, understanding not a word of all this outburst.  Her mind was on one thing only, her husband’s infidelity.  His mind was on one thing only, the shame of his wife’s money.  They were like card-players who concentrate their attention exclusively on the cards in their own hands, oblivious to what their partners or opponents may hold.

Asako remaining silent, Mr. Ito began to speak.  His voice seemed more squeaky than ever.

“Captain Barrington,” he said, “I am very sorry for you.  But you see now true condition of things.  You must remember you are English gentleman.  Mrs. Barrington wishes not to return to you.  She has been told that you make misconduct with Miss Smith at Kamakura, and again at Chuzenji.  Miss Smith herself says so.  Mrs. Harrington thinks this story must be true; or Miss Smith do not tell so bad story about herself.  We think she is quite right—­”

“Shut up!” thundered Geoffrey.  “This is a matter for me and my wife alone.  Please, leave us.  My wife has heard one side of a story which is unfair and untrue.  She must hear from me what really happened.”

“I think, some other day, it would be better,” cousin Sadako intervened.  “You see, Mrs. Barrington cannot speak to-day.  She is too unhappy.”

It was quite true.  Asako stood like a dummy, neither seeing nor hearing apparently, neither assenting nor contradicting.  How powerful is the influence of clothes!  If Asako had been dressed in her Paris coat and skirt, her husband would have crossed the few mats which separated them, and would have carried her off willy-nilly.  But in her kimono did she wholly belong to him?  Or was she a Japanese again, a Fujinami?  She seemed to have been transformed by some enchanter’s spell; as Titine had said, she was bewitched.

“Asako, do you mean this?” The big man’s voice was harsh with grief.  “Do you mean that I am to go without you?”

Asako still showed no sign of comprehension.

“Answer me, my darling; do you want me to go?”

Her head moved in assent, and her lips answered “Yes.”