He only meant to shake her⁠—he did not mean to squeeze with his hands⁠—did not know that he was squeezing⁠—mercilessly. He was between Emily and the dining-room, and in the dim light of the hall he could not see the starting, horrible eyes, the darkening flesh of poor Emily Gaunt. He only knew that this silly screaming was intolerable and must be stopped⁠—stopped for certain, without further bother⁠ ⁠… before the whole street came round⁠ ⁠… before his wife came back⁠ ⁠… before⁠ ⁠… “Stop it, will you?⁠ ⁠… For God’s sake, stop it!” he cried, almost plaintively, as his grip loosened a moment, and a strangled gasp burst from Emily. He was too much possessed with his anxious rage to notice how strangled it was. What he wanted was silence⁠ ⁠… complete silence, that was it⁠ ⁠… screams and gasps, they were all dangerous.⁠ ⁠… “Oh⁠ ⁠… stop it⁠ ⁠… can’t you?”