Part 98 (2/2)
”G.o.d knows I loved her,” he said after a while, with a sigh.
”You loved her, my lord!”
”I did, by G.o.d!”
”Love a woman like that, and come to this?”
”Come to this! We must all come to this, I fancy, sooner or later.
Come to what, in the name of Beelzebub?”
”That, having loved a woman like her, you are content to lose her.
In the name of G.o.d, have you no desire to see her again?”
”It would be an awkward meeting,” said the marquis. His was an old love, alas! He had not been capable of the sort that defies change.
It had faded from him until it seemed one of the things that are not! Although his being had once glowed in its light, he could now speak of a meeting as awkward!
”Because you wronged her?” suggested the schoolmaster.
”Because they lied to me, by G.o.d!”
”Which they dared not have done, had you not lied to them first.”
”Sir!” shouted the marquis, with all the voice he had left. ”O G.o.d, have mercy! I cannot punish the scoundrel.”
”The scoundrel is the man who lies, my lord.”
”Were I anywhere else--”
”There would be no good in telling you the truth, my lord. You showed her to the world as a woman over whom you had prevailed, and not as the honest wife she was. What kind of a lie was that, my lord? Not a white one, surely?”
”You are a d.a.m.ned coward to speak so to a man who cannot even turn on his side to curse you for a base hound. You would not dare it but that you know I cannot defend myself.”
”You are right, my lord; your conduct is indefensible.”
”By heaven! if I could but get this cursed leg under me, I would throw you out of the window.”
”I shall go by the door, my lord. While you hold by your sins, your sins will hold by you. If you should want me again, I shall be at your lords.h.i.+p's command.”
He rose and left the room, but had not reached his cottage before Malcolm overtook him, with a second message from his master. He turned at once, saying only, ”I expected it.”
”Mr Graham,” said the marquis, looking ghastly, ”you must have patience with a dying man. I was very rude to you, but I was in horrible pain.”
”Don't mention it, my lord. It would be a poor friends.h.i.+p that gave way for a rough word.”
”How can you call yourself my friend?”
”I should be your friend, my lord, if it were only for your wife's sake. She died loving you. I want to send you to her, my lord. You will allow that, as a gentleman, you at least owe her an apology.”
<script>