'Well,' she took hold of the great brass knob at the foot of the
bed with one gloved hand--'well, I feel it is my duty to withdraw
it. Apart from it, I see only too clearly that even though all
that has happened in these last few days was in reality nothing
but a horrible nightmare, I see that even then what you have said
about our married life together can never be recalled. You have
told me quite deliberately that for years past your life has been
nothing but a pretence--a sham. You implied that mine had been
too. Honestly, I was not aware of it, Arthur. But supposing all
that has happened to you had been merely what might happen at any
moment to anybody, some actual defacement (you will forgive me
suggesting such a horrible thing--why, if what you say is true,
even in that case my sympathy would have been only a continual
fret and annoyance to you. And this--this change, I own, is
infinitely harder to bear. It would be an outrage on common sense
and on all that we hold seemly and--and sacred in life, even in
some trumpery story. You do, you must see all that, Arthur?'

'Oh yes,' said Lawford, narrowing his eyes to pierce through the
sunlight, 'I see all that.'

'Then we need not go over it all again. Whatever others may say,
or think, I shall still, at least so long as nothing occurs to
the contrary, keep firmly to my present convictions. Mr Bethany
has assured me repeatedly that he has no--no misgivings; that he
understands. And even if I still doubted, which I don't, Arthur,
though it would be rather trying to have to accept one's husband
at second-hand, as it were, I should have to be satisfied. I dare
say even such an unheard-of thing as what we are discussing now,
or something equally ghastly, does occur occasionally. In foreign