"You owe me no blow
to-day. You have paid me, Monsieur. You have struck me already, and
foully, like a coward. Do you remember," she continued rapidly, "the
hour after our marriage, and what you said to me? Do you remember what
you told me? And whom to trust and whom to suspect, where lay our
interest and where our foes'? You trusted me then! What have I done
that you now dare--ay, dare, Monsieur," she repeated fearlessly, her face
pale and her eyes glittering with excitement, "to insult me? That you
treat me as--Javette? That you deem me capable of _that_? Of luring you
into a trap, and in my own house, or the house that was mine, of--"
"Treating me as I have treated others."
"You have said it!" she cried. She could not herself understand why his
distrust had wounded her so sharply, so home, that all fear of him was
gone. "You have said it, and put that between us which will not be
removed. I could have forgiven blows," she continued, breathless in her
excitement, "so you had thought me what I am. But now you will do well
to watch me! You will do well to leave Vrillac on one side. For were
you there, and raised your hand against me--not that that touches me, but
it will do--and there are those, I tell you, would fling you from the
tower at my word.
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