Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/537

Rh again … to let it affect a situation that had come about … so much later … so unexpectedly.”

“Did you never feel that, later, if I came to know—if others came to know—it might be difﬁcult?”

“No; for I didn’t care for the others—and I believed that, whatever your own feelings were, you would know I had done what I thought right.”

She spoke the words proudly, strongly, and for the ﬁrst time the hard lines of his face relaxed, and a slight tremor crossed it.

“If you believed this, why have you been letting that cur blackmail you P”

“Because when he began I saw for the ﬁrst time that what I had done might be turned against me by—by those who disliked our marriage. And I was afraid for my happiness. That was my weakness … it is what I am suffering for now.”

“Suffering!” he echoed ironically, as though she had presumed to apply to herself a word of which he had the grim monopoly. He rose and took a few aimless steps; then he halted before her.

“That day—last month—when you asked me for money … was it …?” “Yes” she said, her head sinking. He laughed. “You couldn’t tell me—but you could use my money to bribe that fellow to conspire with you!” [ 521 ]