The man felt the tension more than the woman just then. It acted on his
state, and made it almost unbearable. His hands were locked behind him
and his fingers twisted each other till they changed colour. He moved
with the short, noiseless steps of a young wild animal measuring its
cage, up and down, up and down, without pause.
'It's this,' Margaret continued, much more gently than she had meant to
speak, 'I don't quite believe you. I'm almost sure you thought that I
would give up the stage if I had enough money to live on without my
work.' 'Yes, I did.' He stopped as if in anger and the words came sharply; but
he was not angry.
'You see!' Margaret answered triumphantly. 'I knew it! What becomes of
your story about the company now?' She rose also and began to walk. The big leathern arm-chair was between
them; he leaned his elbows on the back of it and watched her, and
compared her hungrily with the Aphrodite.
'All I have told you is true,' he said. 'The business happened to serve
two purposes, that's all. At least, I thought it would, and it was a
pleasure to help you without your knowing it. Why should I be sorry?
That money might as well come to you through me as through anybody
else. You're angry with me. Why? Because I'm too fond of you? It cannot
reasonably be about the money any more--the wretched money! If you
can't keep the filthy stuff--if it won't prevent you from going on the
stage after all--why then, give it away! Throw it away! Lose it, if you
can. But don't come to me with it, for it's the price of a thing I
bought in the way of business and which I won't give up, nor take as a
gift from anybody.' He spoke in such a harsh tone now that she paused in her short walk and
met his eyes, to see what he meant, over and above what he was saying.
She stood in front of the chair; he was leaning over the back of it,
with his hands together; one hand was slowly kneading the closed fist,
and the veins stood out on both. His voice was hoarse but rather low,
like that of a man who wants water.
The light in the room had a yellowish tinge now, and the window showed
a dull glare where there had been blue sky before. The lurid light got
into Logotheti's eyes, and was ready to flash while Margaret looked at
him. The marble Aphrodite took a creamy, living tint, and the little
shadows that modelled her quivered and deepened.