“If she writes to me I will see that she is told,” answered Susie gravely.
“And now good-bye.”
“You can’t go to London till to-morrow. Shan’t I see you in the morning?”
“I think, if you don’t mind, I won’t come here again. The sight of all this rather disturbs me.”
Again a contraction of pain passed across his eyes, and Susie saw that he was using a superhuman effort to preserve the appearance of composure. She hesitated a moment.
“Shall I never see you again?” she said. “I should be sorry to lose sight of you entirely.”
“I should be sorry too,” he answered. “I have learned how good and kind you are, and I shall never forget that you are Margaret’s friend. When you come to London I hope that you will let me know.”
He went out. Dr. Porhoët, his hands behind his back, began to walk up and down the room. At last he turned to Susie.
“There is one thing that puzzles me,” he said. “Why did he marry her?”
“You heard what Arthur said,” answered Susie bitterly. “Whatever happened he would have taken her back. The other man knew that he could only bind her to him securely by going through the ceremonies of marriage.”
Dr. Porhoët shrugged his shoulders, and presently he left her. When Susie was alone she began to weep broken-heartedly, not for herself, but because Arthur suffered an agony that was hardly endurable.
