Page:Gissing - The Nether World, vol. III, 1889.djvu/65

Rh perhaps I was a little hasty in the hopes I held out. I had partly deceived myself.”

“Never mind. I wish to know what it was,” she said impatiently.

“It can’t matter now Well, there’s no harm in mentioning it. Naturally you went out of your way to suppose it was something dishonourable. Nothing of the kind; I had an idea that you might come to terms with an Australian who was looking out for actresses for a theatre in Melbourne,—that was all. But he wasn’t quite the man I took him for. I doubt whether it could have been made as profitable as I thought at first.”

“You expect me to believe that story?”

“Not unless you like. It’s some time since you put any faith in my good-will. The only reason I didn’t speak plainly was because I felt sure that the mention of a foreign country would excite your suspicions. You have always attributed evil motives to me rather than good. However, this is not the time to speak of such things. I sympathise with you—deeply. Will you tell me if I can—can help you at all?”

“No, you can’t. I wanted to make quite