Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. I, 1889.djvu/299

 believe the worst you can of me; I shouldn’t have come here if I hadn’t been ready to bear everything. It’s no good speaking reason to you now, but maybe you’ll understand some day.”

“Who know’s as she’s come to harm?” urged Mrs. Hewett. “Nobody can say it of her for certain, yet.”

“I’d have told him that, if he’d only listened to me and given me credit for honesty,” said Kirkwood. “It is as likely as not she’s gone away just because I angered her on Saturday. Perhaps she said to herself she’d have done with me once for all. It would be just her way.”

“Speak another word against my girl,” Hewett shouted, misinterpreting the last phrase, “an’ I’ll do more than say what I think of you,—old man though they call me! Take yourself out of this room; it was the worst day of my life that ever you came into it. Never let me an you come across each other again. I hate the sight of you, an’ I hate the sound of your voice!”