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 are in hell; it’s the only place for them. Great lovers! Pah!”

Startling was the glance that Vermont sud- denly flung on him. In spite of himself a cold tremour swept him from head to foot.

The other continued:

“When are we going to assert our suprem- acy and put woman back in her proper place? Instead of commanding her, as our wild fore- fathers did, we buy her smiles with the last little shred of honour and self-respect. We have pickled a rod for our own backs, nour- ished a scorpion whose only gratitude is to sting. When I think of the fools they make of us, husbands and lovers! A man cannot even swear that the children he claims are his own. Do what you will for them, make any sacrifice you like, your reward will be the same, disdain, ingratitude and contempt.”

He rose from the sofa and began furiously to pace the room. His face grew hot and angry, his eyes almost ferocious in their burn- ing penetration. Vermont looked at him in amazement. Always eccentric, he had no doubt whatever that Brenton’s eccentricity verged near to madness. Surely no one could conduct