As such its force was felt in every nerve by the woman who was clinging to him.
The silence was broken by the dwindling laughter of the dissolving crowds outside the house, where primeval man was carrying on his courting of primeval woman after the manner of their tribe, among the shrubberies.
"I knew that you would hold me from him," said Priscilla. "I knew that I need not fear anything with you near me, my man, my man!"
At her words the man, for the first time, was startled. He turned his face toward her, drawing a long breath, and looked into her eyes.
"Yes," she said, smiling and nodding her head, interpreting his laugh by the instinct of the forest. "Yes, let anyone try it."
There was a long interval before his hand fell away from her waist. He felt with that hand for the back of the chair out of which she had risen on his entering the room--his eyes were still upon her face; they were still upon it when his groping had found the chair, and he sat down slowly and cautiously.
"My God, my God!" he whispered, and once again there was silence. He could hear that she was shivering as if with cold. There was more than a hint of chattering teeth.
"Sit down," he said, after a long pause. "Sit down and tell me what--what has happened."
She fell shivering into his arms, a dead weight. He thought that she had fainted, but she had strength enough left to reassure him. She was clinging to him and her head was upon his shoulder.
"You will keep me, Jack, you will keep me from him," she said in a gasping whisper. "I saw him there, I could not be mistaken--and the way he smiled.... But I knew that something like this was in store for us. It would be impossible for such happiness as ours to last. It is always when one has built up one's happiness bit by bit, brick by brick, a palace--a palace was ours, Jack--a hand is put out and down it topples. That was why I married you in such haste, my darling. I told you, when you asked me, that I was afraid of losing you. But I haven't lost you, dear; I have you still. I have you still!"
"You have, Priscilla. Whatever else may be doubtful, you may be certain that you have me still. I will not fail you. Oh, what a fool I should be if I let anything--or anyone--come between us! Where should I be without you? What should I be apart from you, darling? I know--I know what I should be because I know what I was before you came into my life. Do you fancy that I would shrink from killing a man who tried to part us? Let him try it!"