I've never seen a man change
more than you have in the past four minutes. You were shaking like a
leaf when you came up here, and now--well, 'pon my soul, you are as
brave as a lion. That certainly proves one thing."
"What's that?"
"That your conscience is clearing."
"Now, don't get it into your head, Bingle, that I'm not dreadfully
sorry for the way that poor girl came to her end. She was really a
brick. She deserved something better."
"Knowing that she was going to bear your child, Force, you have every
reason, I am sure, to say that she was a brick. I, too, say that she
deserved something better than being the mother of your child. What
happened? Did she leave you of her own accord?"
"In a way, yes," said Mr. Force coolly. "In the customary way, of
course. You see, I was about to be married, Bingle. When I explained
the situation to her, she understood. She knew that I couldn't go on
leading the sort of life I'd led before--"
"You hesitate, Force. Why couldn't you go on leading the life you'd
led before? I should say it was quite as decent at one time as
another.
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