There is no pain so absolutely black in its hideous agony as jealousy.  The other mental pains of this life may last longer, but there is none that cuts down deeper, that possesses such a ravening tooth, while it lasts, as this.

The vision of Lawton’s face was like a brand upon my brain.  I saw it everywhere, as it had looked when she smiled upon him at dinner.

Suddenly, as I paced backwards and forwards, I heard a little noise outside, a light footfall on the stairs or landing.  I stood still, my heart seeming to knock about inside my chest as if it wanted to leap out between the ribs.  Then I went to the door and threw it wide open.  She stood there just outside.  The light from within fell upon her, and my eyes ran over her, questioning, devouring, while waves of hope and terror seemed dashing up against my brain like the surf over a rock.

She looked collected, mistress of herself, her dress and hair were perfect in arrangement as when she had started, on her face was a curious look of gladness, of relief, of decision, of triumph.  What was its meaning?

I took both her hands and drew her over the threshold.  She came gladly.  She must have seen the agony of fear, of questioning in my face, for after a swift look up at me she said impulsively: 

“I am so glad to be back with you, Trevor.”

I could not answer her.  I stood silent.  The sick fatigue of hours of painful emotion was creeping over me, and the agony of longing to know everything from her lips seemed to paralyse me.

“I could not, after all, dearest,” she said, in a very low tone.  “I could not do anything on my side to sever myself from you, so I have come back to you.”

Her voice seemed to come to me from a long distance, but every word was clear and distinct.  The relief of the loosening of the pressure of one hideous idea was intense.  I took a chair beside her and put my arm round her shoulders.

“Tell me what has happened, then, since you left me.”

She was drawing off her gloves slowly; the flesh of the fingers and wrist was slightly indented from long pressure of the kid.  I saw that her glove had not been removed for several hours.  A great tide of pleasure and relief broke slowly over me.

“Well, I went straight from here to Lawton’s chambers, and he was out; so I sat down in one of his easy chairs by the fire to wait for him.  I sat and sat there, looking into the fire, and somehow I forgot all about Lawton and began thinking about you and the pictures and your wonderful voice and all the delightful times we had had together; and then I thought of all I had always tried to do for you, and how you were the first, the very first man I had ever cared for or done anything for, and how I had always belonged to you; and it seemed a pity to spoil it all—­if you understand.  I felt I could not with my own hands pull down the beautiful fabric of my love for you that I had built up.  I felt I could not give myself to any one else, there seemed something irresistible holding me from it.  You must do what you like, be faithful or not to me, but I must be faithful to you.”