’My dear soul, it ‘s a flint.  So just think of your duty.’  Dartrey played the horrid part of executioner with some skill.

Her bosom sprang to descend into abysses.

’And never a greater fool than when I sent for you to see such a face as I’m showing!’ she cried, with lips that twitched and fingers that plucked at her belt.  ’But you might feel my hatred of being tied to—­dragged about over the Continent by that . . . perhaps you think a woman is not sensible of vulgarity in her husband!  I ’m bothering you?  I don’t say I have the slightest claim.  You never made love to me, never!  Never so much as pressed my hand or looked.  Others have—­as much as I let them.  And before I saw you, I had not an idea of another man but that man.  So you advise me to go?’

‘There’s no other course.’

’No other course.  I don’t see one.  What have I been dreaming of!  Usually a woman feeling . . .’ she struck at her breast, ’has had a soft word in her ear.  “Go!” I don’t blame you, Captain Dartrey.  At least, you ’re not the man to punish a woman for stripping herself, as I ’ve done.  I call myself a fool—­I’m a lunatic.  Trust me with your hand.’

‘There you are.’

She grasped the hand, and shut her eyes to make a long age of the holding on to him.  ’Oh, you dear dear fellow!—­don’t think me unwomanly; I must tell you now:  I am naked and can’t disguise.  I see you are ice—­feel:  and if you were different, I might be.  You won’t be hurt by hearing you’ve made yourself dear to me—­without meaning to, I know!  It began that day at Lakelands; I fell in love with you the very first minute I set eyes on you!  There’s a confession for a woman to make! and a married woman!  I’m married, and I no more feel allegiance, as they call it, than if there never had been a ceremony and no Jacob Blathenoy was in existence.  And why I should go to him!  But you shan’t be troubled.  I did not begin to live, as a woman, before I met you.  I can speak all this to you because—­we women can’t be deceived in that—­you are one of the men who can be counted on for a friend.’

‘I hope so,’ Dartrey said, and his mouth hardened as nature’s electricity shot sparks into him from the touch and rocked him.

‘No, not yet:  I will soon let it drop,’ said she, and she was just then thrillingly pretty; she caressed the hand, placing it at her throat and moving her chin on it, as women fondle birds.  ’I am positively to go, then?’

‘Positively, you are to go; and it’s my command.’

‘Not in love with any one at all?’

‘Not with a soul.’

‘Not with a woman?’

‘With no woman.’

‘Nor maid?’

‘No! and no to everything.  And an end to the catechism!’

‘It is really a flint that beats here?’ she said, and with a shyness in adventurousness, she struck the point of her forefinger on the rib.  ’Fancy me in love with a flint!  And running to be dutiful to a Jacob Blathenoy, at my flint’s command.  I’m half in love with doing what I hate, because this cold thing here bids me do it.  I believe I married for money, and now it looks as if I were to have my bargain with poverty to bless it.’