Athalie

He sat thinking for a while, his white, care-worn face framed between

his gloved hands.

"Your friends," he said in a low voice, "know you as a devout woman.

You adhere very strictly to your creed. Is there nothing in it that

teaches forbearance?"

"There is nothing in it that teaches me to compromise with evil," she

retorted; and her small cupid-bow mouth, grew pinched.

"If you honestly believe that this young girl is really my mistress,"

he said, "would it not be decent of you, if it lies within your power,

to permit me to regularise my position--and hers?"

"Is it any longer my affair if you and she have publicly damned

yourselves?"

"Yet if you do believe me guilty, you can scarcely deny me the chance

of atonement, if it is within your power."

She lifted her eyes and coolly inspected him: "And suppose I do not

believe you guilty of breaking your marriage vows?" she inquired.

He was silent.

"Am I to understand," she continued, "that you consider it my duty to

suffer the inconvenience of divorcing you in order that you may

further advertise this woman by marrying her?"

He looked into her close-set eyes; and hope died. She said: "If you

care to affix your signature to the agreement which my attorneys have

already drawn up, then matters may remain as they are, provided you

carry out your part of the contract. If you don't, I shall begin

action immediately and I shall name the woman on whose account you

seem to entertain such touching anxiety."

"Is that your threat?"

"It is my purpose, dictated by every precept of decency, morality,

religion, and the inviolable sanctity of marriage."

He laughed and gathered up his hat and stick: "Your moral suasion, I am afraid, slightly resembles a sort of

sanctimonious blackmail, Winifred. The combination of morality,

religion, and yourself is too powerful for me to combat.... So if my

choice must be between permitting morality to publicly besmirch this

young girl's reputation, and affixing my signature to the agreement

you suggest, I have no choice but to sign my name."

"Is that your decision?"

He nodded.

"Very well. My attorneys and a notary are in the next room with the

papers necessary. If you would be good enough to step in a moment--"

He looked at her and laughed again: "Is there," he said, "anything

lower than a woman?--or anything higher?"