Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/49

Rh "Far from it, my dear man. Exactly what I complain of is that you've quite too much of one." And she gave him, before turning away, what might have been her last look and her last word. "Your conscience is as big as your passion, and if both had been smaller you might perhaps have held your tongue!"

She moved off in a manner that added emphasis to her words, and Tony watched her with his hands still in his pockets and his long legs a little apart. He could turn it over that she accused him, after all, only of having been a particularly injurious fool. "I was under the same impression as you," he said "—the impression that Paul was safe."

This arrested and brought her sharply round. "And were you under the impression that Jean was?"

"On my honour—as far as I'm concerned!"

"It's of course of you we're talking," Mrs. Beever replied. "If you weren't her motive are you able to suggest who was?"

"Her motive for refusing Paul?" Tony looked at the sky for an inspiration. "I'm afraid I'm too surprised and distressed to have a theory."