She could make no reply.

“What are you going to do about it?” he demanded.

“What can I do?...  It’s too late.”

“Look here, you married him to get something—­to be able to do something. ...  You didn’t have any other reason.  You didn’t love him. ...  You loved me.  He’s been kicked out by his family.  He doesn’t own anything.  He’s out for good, and you can’t get anything or do anything.  I want to know what you’re going to do about it.”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?...  You’re not going to stick to him.  You don’t love him—­ probably you hate him by this time. ...  You couldn’t help it.”

“I married him,” she said.  “It isn’t his fault if his family put him out. ...  It was my fault.  They did it because he married me. ...  It was I who cheated him—­and you can see—­what it’s—­cost him. ...  I’ve got to make it up to him—­someway.  I—­I don’t hate him. ...  He’s been good. ...  Oh, he’s been wonderfully good.”

“Do you want to live with him?”

“No,” she said.  “No. ...”

“What about me?...  I love you, don’t I?  Wasn’t I before him?...  Didn’t you give yourself to me?  What about me?...”

“That’s all—­over,” she said.  “Oh, please go away.  I mustn’t talk about that. ...I’m married. ...”

“Listen,” he said, feverishly.  “I love you.  This fellow you’ve married doesn’t know what love is. ...  What does he know about it?  What would he do for you?...”  He leaned forward, his face working, his body quivering with passion.  She let her eyes fall, unable to support his gaze, and she trembled.  His old fascination was upon her; the glamour of him was drawing her.  He poured out a flood of passionate words, bared his soul to her starkly, as he talked swiftly, burningly of his love, and what his love meant to him and what it would mean to her.  She closed her eyes to shut out the sight of him; she summoned all the strength of her will to preserve her from his fascination, to resist his temptation. ...

“I’d have left you alone,” he said, “if you’d got what you paid for. ...But when you didn’t—­when you got nothing—­there was no reason for me to stay away. ...  You belonged to me.  You do belong to me. ...  Why should you stick to him?  Why?”

She could not answer him.  The only reason she should cling to her husband was because he was her husband, but she knew that would be no reason to Dulac.

“There’s been a marriage ceremony,” he said, scornfully.  “What of it?  It isn’t marriage ceremonies that unite men and women. ...  It’s love—­ nothing else. ...  When you told me you loved me you married me more really than any minister can marry you.  That was a real marriage—­but you didn’t think you were breaking any laws or violating any morals when you left me and married him.  Just because we hadn’t gone to a church. ...  You’re married to me and living with him—­that’s what it amounts to. ...  Now I’m here demanding you.  I’m after my wife.”