‘Then you sold me to a journalist for money?’

The intolerable scourge fetched a stifled scream from her and drove her pacing, but there was no escape; she returned to meet it.

The room was a cage to both of them, and every word of either was a sting.

’Percy, I did not imagine he would use it—­make use of it as he has done.’

‘Not?  And when he paid for it?’

‘I fancied it would be merely of general service—­if any.’

‘Distributed; I see:  not leading to the exposure of the communicant!’

‘You are harsh; but I would not have you milder.’

The meekness of such a mischief-doer was revolting and called for the lash.

’Do me the favour to name the sum.  I am curious to learn what my imbecility was counted worth.’

‘No sum was named.’

‘Have I been bought for a song?’

‘It was a suggestion—­no definite . . . nothing stipulated.’

‘You were to receive money!’

’Leave me a bit of veiling!  No, you shall behold me the thing I am.  Listen . . .  I was poor . . .’

‘You might have applied to me.’

’For money!  That I could not do: 

‘Better than betraying me, believe me.’

’I had no thought of betraying.  I hope I could have died rather than consciously betray.’

‘Money!  My whole fortune was at your, disposal.’

’I was beset with debts, unable to write, and, last night when you left me, abject.  It seemed to me that you disrespected me . . .’

‘Last night!’ Dacier cried with lashing emphasis.

’It is evident to me that I have the reptile in me, Percy.  Or else I am subject to lose my reason.  I went . . .  I went like a bullet:  I cannot describe it; I was mad.  I need a strong arm, I want help.  I am given to think that I do my best and can be independent; I break down.  I went blindly—­now I see it—­for the chance of recovering my position, as the gambler casts; and he wins or loses.  With me it is the soul that is lost.  No exact sum was named; thousands were hinted.’

‘You are hardly practical on points of business.’

‘I was insane.’

‘I think you said you slept well after it,’ Dacier remarked.

’I had so little the idea of having done evilly, that I slept without a dream.’

He shrugged:—­the consciences of women are such smooth deeps, or running shallows.

‘I have often wondered how your newspaper men got their information,’ he said, and muttered:  ‘Money-women!’ adding:  ’Idiots to prime them!  And I one of the leaky vessels!  Well, we learn.  I have been rather astonished at times of late at the scraps of secret knowledge displayed by Tonans.  If he flourishes his thousands!  The wonder is, he doesn’t corrupt the Ministers’ wives.  Perhaps he does.  Marriage will become a danger-sign to Parliamentary members.  Foreign women do these tricks . . . women of a well-known stamp.  It is now a full year, I think, since I began to speak to you of secret matters—­and congratulated myself, I recollect, on your thirst for them.’