THE WINGS OF THE DOVE
basis, her consistency; he even felt, to a degree that was immediately to receive an odd confirmation, her truth. Her truth, for that matter, was that she believed him bribeable: a belief that for his own mind as well as they stood there, lighted up the impossible. What then in this light did Kate believe him? But that was not what he asked aloud. "Of course I know I owe you thanks for a deal of kind treatment. Your inviting me, for instance, tonight———!"
"Yes, my inviting you to-night is a part of it. But you don't know," she added, "how far I've gone for you."
He felt himself red, and as if his honour were colouring up; but he laughed again as he could. "I see how far you're going."
"I'm the most honest woman in the world; but I've nevertheless done for you what was necessary." And then, as her now quite sombre gravity only made him stare: "To start you, it was necessary. From me it has the weight." He but continued to stare, and she met his blankness with surprise. "Don't you understand me? I've told the proper lie for you." Still he only showed her his flushed, strained smile; in spite of which, speaking with force and as if he must with a minute's reflection see what she meant, she turned away from him. "I depend upon you now to make me right!"
The minute's reflection he was of course more free to take after he had left the house. He walked
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