She followed him into the hall, she was close behind him; he moved before her as she pressed. "There was one more reason," she said. "I would n"t be forbidden. It was my hideous pride. That"s what prevents me now."
"I don"t care what it is," Benyon answered, wearily, with his hand on the k.n.o.b of the door.
She laid hers on his shoulder; he stood there an instant feeling it, wishing that her loathsome touch gave him the right to strike her to the earth,--to strike her so that she should never rise again.
"How clever you are, and intelligent always,--as you used to be; to feel so perfectly and know so well, without more scenes, that it"s hopeless--my ever consenting! If I have, with you, the shame of having made you promise, let me at least have the profit!"
His back had been turned to her, but at this he glanced round. "To hear you talk of shame--!"
"You don"t know what I have gone through; but, of course, I don"t ask any pity from you. Only I should like to say something kind to you before we part I admire you, esteem you: I don"t many people! Who will ever tell her, if you don"t? How will she ever know, then? She will be as safe as I am. You know what that is," said Georgina, smiling.
He had opened the door while she spoke, apparently not heeding her, thinking only of getting away from her forever. In reality he heard every word she said, and felt to his marrow the lowered, suggestive tone in which she made him that last recommendation. Outside, on the steps--she stood there in the doorway--he gave her his last look. "I only hope you will die. I shall pray for that!" And he descended into the street and took his way.
It was after this that his real temptation came. Not the temptation to return betrayal for betrayal; that pa.s.sed away even in a few days, for he simply knew that he couldn"t break his promise, that it imposed itself on him as stubbornly as the color of his eyes or the stammer of his lips; it had gone forth into the world to live for itself, and was far beyond his reach or his authority. But the temptation to go through the form of a marriage with Kate Theory, to let her suppose that he was as free as herself, and that their children, if they should have any, would, before the law, have a right to exist,--this attractive idea held him fast for many weeks, and caused him to pa.s.s some haggard nights and days. It was perfectly possible she might learn his secret, and that, as no one could either suspect it or have an interest in bringing it to light, they both might live and die in security and honor. This vision fascinated him; it was, I say, a real temptation. He thought of other solutions,--of telling her that he was married (without telling her to whom), and inducing her to overlook such an accident, and content herself with a ceremony in which the world would see no flaw. But after all the contortions of his spirit it remained as clear to him as before that dishonor was in everything but renunciation. So, at last, he renounced. He took two steps which attested ths act to himself. He addressed an urgent request to the Secretary of the Navy that he might, with as little delay as possible, be despatched on another long voyage; and he returned to Boston to tell Kate Theory that they must wait. He could explain so little that, say what he would, he was aware that he could not make his conduct seem natural, and he saw that the girl only trusted him,--that she never understood. She trusted without understanding, and she agreed to wait. When the writer of these pages last heard of the pair they were waiting still.