Angela turned away--she went to the window. Bernard followed her for
three seconds with his eyes; then he went on--
"If it were so, I had no reason to suppose it. You have accused me of
deceiving you, but I deceived only myself. You say I put you off your
guard, but you should rather say you put me on mine. It was, thanks to
that, that I fell into the most senseless, the most brutal of delusions.
The delusion passed away--it had contained the germ of better things.
I saw my error, and I bitterly repented of it; and on the day you were
married I felt free."
"Ah, yes, I have no doubt you waited for that!" cried Gordon. "It may
interest you to know that my marriage is a miserable failure."
"I am sorry to hear it--but I can't help it."
"You have seen it with your own eyes. You know all about it, and I need
n't tell you."
"My dear Mr. Wright," said Angela, pleadingly, turning round, "in
Heaven's name, don't say that!"
"Why should n't I say it? I came here on purpose to say it. I came here
with an intention--with a plan. You know what Blanche is--you need n't
pretend, for kindness to me, that you don't. You know what a precious,
what an inestimable wife she must make me--how devoted, how sympathetic
she must be, and what a household blessing at every hour of the day.
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