Lightbody with a movement of irritation, shifted the clutch of his fingers.
"As a matter of fact, suppose you are acquitted, what then? You emerge, middle-aged, dyspeptic, possibly rheumatic--no nerves left. Your photograph figures in every paper along with inventors of shoes and corsets. You can't be asked to dinner or to house parties, can you? As a matter of fact, you'll disappear somewhere or linger and get shot by the brother, who in turn, as soon as he is acquitted, must be shot by your brother, et cetera, et cetera! _Voila!_ What will you have gained?"
He ceased, well pleased--he had convinced himself.
Lightbody, who had had time to be ashamed of the emotion that he, as a man, had shown to another of his sex, rose and said with dignity:
De Gollyer, understanding at once that the battle had been won, took up in an easy running attack his battery of words.
"By publishing your dishonor to Europe, Africa, Asia? That's logic, isn't it? No, no, my dear old Jack--you won't do it. You won't be an ass. Steady head, old boy! Let's look at it in a reasonable way--as men of the world. You can't bring her back, can you? She's gone."
At this reminder, overcome by the vibrating sense of loss, Lightbody turned abruptly, no longer master of himself, and going hastily toward the windows, cried violently:
Over the satisfied lips of De Gollyer the same ironical smile returned.
"I say, as a matter of fact I didn't suspect, you--you cared so much."
With a quick movement, Lightbody turned. His eyes flashed. He no longer cared what he revealed. He began to speak incoherently, stifling a sob at every moment.
"I adored her. It was wonderful. Nothing like it. I adored her from the moment I met her. It was that--adoration--one woman in the world--one woman--I adored her!"
The imp of irony continued to play about De Gollyer's eyes and slightly twitching lips.
"Quite so--quite so," he said. "Of course you know, dear boy, you weren't always so--so lonely--the old days--you surprise me."
The memory of his romance all at once washed away the bitterness in Lightbody. He returned, sat down, oppressed, crushed.
"You know, Jim," he said solemnly, "she never did this, never in the world, not of her own free will, never in her right mind. She's been hypnotized, some one has gotten her under his power--some scoundrel. No--I'll not harm her, I'll not hurt a hair of her head--but when I meet _him_--"