He let fall the scissors and paced restlessly away down the room.

“I⁠—I tell you, Lavinia, I cannot endure it! I cannot! I cannot! The thought of what John may be bearing is driving me crazy! I must speak!”

“You⁠—you can’t!” she gasped. “After seven years! Dicky, for heaven’s sake⁠—!” The colour ebbed and flowed in her cheeks.

“I cannot continue any longer this living of a lie⁠—I have been feeling it more and more ever since⁠—ever since I met⁠—Jack⁠—that time on the road. And now I can no longer stand it. Everywhere I go I seem to see him⁠—looking at me⁠—you don’t understand⁠—”

Lavinia cast aside her work.

“No! No! I do not! ’Pon rep., but you should have thought of this before, Dick!”