‘Would you then,’ Adela asked gravely, ‘destroy this will?’

‘Yes.’

The monosyllable was all he cared to reply.

’I can scarcely believe you.  Such a thing is impossible.  You could not do it.’

‘It’s my duty to do it.’

’This is unworthy of you.  It is a crime, in law and in conscience.  How can you so deceive yourself?  After such an act as that, whatever you did would be worthless, vain.’

‘Why?’

’Because no one can do great work of the kind you aim at unless he is himself guided by the strictest honour.  Every word you spoke would be a falsehood.  Oh, can’t you see that, as plainly as the light of day?  The results of your work!  Why, nothing you could possibly do with all this money would be one-half as good as to let everyone know that you honourably gave it up when it was in your power dishonestly to keep it!  Oh, surely that is the kind of example that the world needs!  What causes all the misery but dishonesty and selfishness?  If you do away with that, you gain all you are working for.  The example!  You should prize the opportunity.  You are deceiving yourself; it is a temptation that you are yielding to.  Think a moment; you will see that I am right.  You cannot do a thing so unworthy of yourself.’

He stood for a moment doggedly, then replied: 

‘I can and I shall do it.’

‘Never!’ Adela rose and faced him.  ’You shall listen to me till you understand.  You, who pride yourself on your high motives!  For your own sake scorn this temptation.  Let me take the will away.  I will put it somewhere till to-morrow.  You will see clearly by then.  I know how dreadful this loss seems to you, but you must be stronger.’

He stood between her and the table on which the parchment lay, and waved her back as she approached.  Adela’s voice trembled, but there was not a note in it that he could resent.

’You wrong yourself, and you are cruel to me.  How could I live with you if you did such a thing?  How could I remain in this house when it was no longer yours?  It is impossible, a thousand times impossible.  You cannot mean it!  If you do this in spite of everything I can say, you are more cruel than if you raised your hand and struck me.  You make my life a shame; you dishonour and degrade me.’

‘That’s all nonsense,’ he replied sullenly, the jealous motive possessing him again at the sight of her gleaming eyes.  ’It’s you who don’t understand, and just because you have no sympathy with my work.  Any one would think you cared for nothing but to take the money from me, just to—­’

Even in his access of spiteful anger he checked himself, and dropped to another tone.

’I take all the responsibility.  You have nothing to do with it.  What seems right to me, I shall do.  I am your husband, and you’ve no voice in a thing like this.’

’No voice?  Have I no right to save you from ruin?  Must a wife stand by and see her husband commit a crime?  Have you no duty to me?  What becomes of our married life if you rob me of all respect for you?’