As the door slammed, leaving her alone with her husband, Virginia felt herself grow hot and cold by turns.  Desperate, she looked around to see if there was anywhere she could go, but there was no escape possible.  Practically she was a prisoner, at the mercy of a man who, his worst instincts aroused by wine, was temporarily another being.  His naturally generous impulses, his gentlemanly bearing, his kindly consideration for the weaker sex, all that was momentarily cast to the winds and like the savage beast, unaccustomed to control his appetites, he stopped at nothing in a wild, passionate madness to gratify his brutal desires.

It was horrible, revolting, yet what could she do?  The law gave this man certain rights over her.  Was not she herself largely to blame?  Had she not sold herself to a man she did not love without even the excuse of necessity to sanction the disgraceful barter of flesh and honor?  And what made it the more cruel was that gradually love had come into her life.  Yes, she was sure of it now.  In spite of his neglect, his indifference, she loved him and it was just because she loved him that it broke her heart to see him degrade his manhood.

The distant sounds of the Gillies and the servants retiring died away.  The lights throughout the big house were extinguished one by one.  A heavy silence fell over everything.  Growing more nervous each instant, Virginia watched her husband furtively.  If only he, too, would say good-night and go to his room!  At present he seemed to be in no hurry to depart, and yet he did not appear to be thinking about her, being still highly amused by what Jimmie had said.  Suddenly bursting into laughter, he exclaimed: 

“His brain!  Ha! ha!  Good night!  Jimmie’s brain!  Ah, that’s rich!”

Virginia went back to her dressing table, where she pretended to be busily occupied combing her hair.  He followed her, still laughing.  When his merriment had somewhat subsided, he hiccoughed: 

“That boy’s more fun to me!  I wouldn’t lose his company for anything in the world!  From the very first day he came to work for me he’s been full of suggestions.  They’ve all been good.  One of them—­one of them made me laugh for a week.  I even laugh now whenever I think of it—­”

He leaned awkwardly over her chair and Virginia instinctively recoiled.  His flushed face and tainted breath frightened and disgusted her.  Each instant she feared that he would take her in his arms.  To avoid him, she rose from the dressing table and crossing the room, sat down on the sofa.  He followed her, still laughing.

“You’ll enjoy it too—­so listen!” he said.  Raising his voice and in a tone of command he went on:  “Listen now, because you’ll enjoy it.  He wanted me—­”

He halted again, unable to continue for laughing, as he thought of some of his employee’s crazy notions.  Then, proceeding, he said: 

“You’ll enjoy it.  Such a joke!  The man’s as mad as a March hare.  He wanted me—­to put up a factory—­”