Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/297

 used to be, haven’t we? An why? Haven’t I seen it plainer an’ plainer what you was thinkin’ when you told me to let her have her own way? I spoke the truth then,—’cause I felt it; an’ I was fool enough, for all that, to try an’ believe I was in the wrong. Now you come an’ stand before me—why, I couldn’t a’ thought there was a man had so little shame in him!”

Mrs. Hewett entered the room; the loud angry voice had reached her ears, and in spite of terror she came to interpose between the two men.

“Do you know what he’s come to tell me?” cried her husband. “Oh, you do! He’s been tryin’ to talk you over, has he? You just answer to me, an’ tell the truth. Who was it persuaded me to let Clara go from ’ome? Who was it come here an’ talked an’ talked till he got his way? He knew what ‘ud be the end of it,—he knew, I tell you,—an’ it’s just what he wanted. Hasn’t he been drawin’ away from us ever since the girl left? I saw it all that night when he came here persuadin’