 you see that it degrades me to answer such a question? What is your
opinion of me? Have I behaved so as to lead you to think that I am an abandoned
woman?«
    After hesitating he muttered: »You don't give a plain yes or no.«
    »You must not expect it. If you think I use arts to deceive you - if you
have no faith whatever in my purity - it was your duty to let me go from you
when I would have done so. It is horrible for us to live together from the
moment that there is such a doubt on either side. It makes me something lower
than your servant - something that has no name!«
    She shuddered. Had not that been true of her from the very morrow of their
marriage? Her life was cast away upon shoals of debasement; no sanctity of
womanhood remained in her. Was not her indignation half a mockery? She could not
even defend her honesty, her honour in the vulgarest sense of the word, without
involving herself in a kind of falsehood, which was desolation to her spirit. It
had begun in her advocacy of uprightness after her discovery of the will; it was
imbuing her whole nature, making her to her own conscience that which he had
called her - a very hypocrite.
    He spoke more conciliatingly.
    »Well, there's one thing, at all events, that you can't refuse to explain.
Why didn't you tell me that you had met Eldon, and what he meant to do?«
    She had not prepared herself for the question, and it went to the root of
her thoughts; none the less she replied instantly, careless how he understood
the truth.
    »I kept silence because the meeting had given me pain, because it distressed
me to have to speak with Mr. Eldon at that place and at that time, because I
knew how you regard him, and was afraid to mention him to you.«
    Mutimer was at a loss. If Adela had calculated her reply with the deepest
art she could not have chosen words better fitted to silence him.
    »And you have told me every word that passed between you?« he asked.
    »That would be impossible. I have told you the substance of the
conversation.«
    »Why did you ask him to keep the works going on my plan?«
    »I can tell you no more.«
    Her strength was spent. She put aside her sewing and moved towards the door.
    »Where are you going?«
    »I don't feel
