Part 18 (2/2)

He took it from his pocket and handed it to Susie. She read it and pa.s.sed it to Arthur. It said:

Come to the studio at five. High jinks.

Oliver Haddo

'Margaret was married to Mr Haddo this morning,' said Arthur, quietly. 'I understand they have gone to England.'

Susie quickly told the doctor the few facts they knew. He was as surprised, as distressed, as they.

'But what is the explanation of it all?' he asked.

Arthur shrugged his shoulders wearily.

'She cared for Haddo more than she cared for me, I suppose. It is natural enough that she should go away in this fas.h.i.+on rather than offer explanations. I suppose she wanted to save herself a scene she thought might be rather painful.'

'When did you see her last?'

'We spent yesterday evening together.'

'And did she not show in any way that she contemplated such a step?'

Arthur shook his head.

'You had no quarrel?'

'We've never quarrelled. She was in the best of spirits. I've never seen her more gay. She talked the whole time of our house in London, and of the places we must visit when we were married.'

Another contraction of pain pa.s.sed over his face as he remembered that she had been more affectionate than she had ever been before. The fire of her kisses still burnt upon his lips. He had spent a night of almost sleepless ecstasy because he had been certain for the first time that the pa.s.sion which consumed him burnt in her heart too. Words were dragged out of him against his will.

'Oh, I'm sure she loved me.'

Meanwhile Susie's eyes were fixed on Haddo's cruel telegram. She seemed to hear his mocking laughter.

'Margaret loathed Oliver Haddo with a hatred that was almost unnatural.

It was a physical repulsion like that which people sometimes have for certain animals. What can have happened to change it into so great a love that it has made her capable of such villainous acts?'

'We mustn't be unfair to him,' said Arthur. 'He put our backs up, and we were probably unjust. He has done some very remarkable things in his day, and he's no fool. It's possible that some people wouldn't mind the eccentricities which irritated us. He's certainly of very good family and he's rich. In many ways it's an excellent match for Margaret.'

He was trying with all his might to find excuses for her. It would not make her treachery so intolerable if he could persuade himself that Haddo had qualities which might explain her infatuation. But as his enemy stood before his fancy, monstrously obese, vulgar, and overbearing, a shudder pa.s.sed through him. The thought of Margaret in that man's arms tortured him as though his flesh were torn with iron hooks.

'Perhaps it's not true. Perhaps she'll return,' he cried.

'Would you take her back if she came to you?' asked Susie.

'Do you think anything she can do has the power to make me love her less?

There must be reasons of which we know nothing that caused her to do all she has done. I daresay it was inevitable from the beginning.'

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