If I had, most likely this would never have happened.— It's aU
over with me, Rolfe. I wish to God you had let me die in that



THE WHIRLPOOL 373

hotel at Brussels. — She has been told something about me, and
there's an end of everything. She sent for me this morning. I
never thought she could be so pitiless, — The kind of thing that a
man thinks nothing of. And herself the cause of it, if only I had
dared to tell her so ! "

" The old story, I suppose, " said Harvey. " Some other
woman ? *'

«• I was very near telling you, that day you came to my beastly
garret in Chelsea; do you remember? It was the worst time
with me then — except when you found me in Brussels. Td been
gambling again ; you knew that. I wanted money for something I
felt ashamed to speak of. — You know the awful misery I used to
suffer about Henrietta. I was often enough nearly mad with —
what is one to call it ? Why isn't there a decent name for the
agony men go through at that age ? I simply couldn't live alone any
longer— I couldn't ; and only a fool and a hypocrite would pretend
to blame me. A man, that is ; women seem to be made different. —
Oh, there's nothing to tell. The same thing happens a hundred
times every day in London. A girl wandering about in the Park —
quarrel at home-^all the rest of it. A good many lies on her side ;
a good deal of selfishness on mine. I happened to have money
just then. And just when I had mo money — about the time you
met me— a child was born. She said it was mine ; anyway, I had
to be responsible. Of course I had long ago repented of behaving
so badly to Henrietta. But no woman can undersund, and it's
impossible to explain to them. You're a beast and a villain, and
there's an end of it."

'* And how has this become known to Miss Winter ? " Harvey
inquired, seeing that Morphew lost himself in gloom.
