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ItsometimesbroughtbacktohimthathideousshakinessofnervewhichhadbeenafeatureofhisillnesswhenhehadbeenontheRivierawithTeresita。
OfallthisBettyonlyknewtheoutwardsignswhich，takenattheirexteriorsignificance，weredetestableenough，anddroveherhardasshementallydweltontheminconnectionwithotherthings。Howeasy，ifshestoodalone，todefyhisevilinsolencetodoitsworst，andleavingtheplaceatanhour’snotice，tosailawaytoprotection，or，ifshechosetoremaininEngland，tosurroundherselfwithabodyguardofthepeopleinwhoseeyeshisdisreputerelegatedamansuchasNigelAnstrutherstopowerlessnonentity。Alone，shecouldhavesmiledandturnedherbackuponhim。ButshewasheretotakecareofRosy。
Sheoccupiedapositionsomethinglikethatofawomanwhoremainswithamanandenduresoutragebecauseshecannotleaveherchild。Thatthought，initself，broughtUghtredtohermind。TherewasUghtredtobeconsideredaswellashismother。Ughtred’sloveforandfaithinherweredeepandpassionatethings。Hefedonhertendernessforhim，andhadgrownstrongerbecausehespenthoursofeachdaytalking，reading，anddrivingwithher。ThesimpletruthwasthatneithershenorRosaliecoulddesertUghtred，andsolongasNigelmanagedcleverlyenough，thelawwouldgivetheboytohisfather。
"Youareobligedtoprovethings，youknow，inacourtoflaw，"hehadsaid，asifwithcasualamiability，onacertainoccasion。"Provingthingsisthedevil。Peoplelosetheirtempersandrushintorowswhichendinlawsuits，andthenfindtheycanprovenothing。IfIwereavillain，"slightlyshowinghisteethinanagreeablesmile——"insteadofamanofblamelesslife，Ishouldgoinonlyforthatbranchofmyprofessionwhichcouldbeexercisedwithoutleavingstupidevidencebehind。"
SincehisreturntoStornhamtheoutwarddecorumofhisownconducthadentertainedhimandhehadkeptitupwithanincreasingappreciationofitsusefulnessinthepresentsituation。Whatsoeverhappenedintheend，itwasthepartofdiscretiontopresenttotheruralworldabouthimanappearanceofuprightbehaviour。Hehadevenfounditamusingtogotochurchandalsotooccasionallymakeamiablecallsatthevicarage。Itwasnotdifficult，atsuchtimes，toreferdelicatelytohisregretthatdomesticdiscomforthadledhimintotheerrorofremainingmuchawayfromStornham。Heknewthathehadbeenevenrathertouchinginhisexpressionofinterestinthefutureofhisson，andthenecessityoftheboy’sbeingprotectedfromuncontrolledhystericinfluences。
And，intheyearsofRosalie’sunprotectedwretchedness，hehadtakenexcellentcarethatno"stupidevidence"shouldbeexposedtoview。
OfallthisBettywasthinkingandsummingupdefinitely，pointafterpoint。Wherewasthewiseandpracticalcourseofdefence？Themostunthinkablethingwasthatonecouldfindone’sselfinapositioninwhichactionseemedinhibited。
Whatcouldonedo？Tosendforherfatherwouldsurelyendthematter——butatwhatcosttoRosy，toUghtred，toFfolliott，beforewhomthefairpathtodignifiedsecurityhadsonewlyopeneditself？Whatwouldbetheeffectofsuddenconfusion，anguish，andpublichumiliationuponRosalie’scarefullyrebuilthealthandstrength——uponhermother’snewhopeandhappiness？
Atmomentsitseemedasifalmostallthathadbeendonemightbeundone。Shewasbesetbysuchamomentnow，andfeltforthetime，atleast，likeacreaturetiedhandandfootwhileinfullstrength。
Certainlyshewasnotpreparedfortheeventwhichhappened。Rolandstiffenedhisears，and，beginningarumblinggrowl，endeditsuddenly，realisingitanunnecessaryprecaution。
Heknewthemanwalkinguptheinclineofthemoundfromthesidebehindthem。SodidBettyknowhim。ItwasSirNigellookingrathergloweringandpaleandwalkingslowly。Hehaddiscoveredwhereshehadmeanttotakerefuge，andhadprobablyriddentosomepointwherehecouldleavehishorseandfollowherattheexpenseoftakingashortcutwhichsavedwalking。
Asheclimbedthemoundtojoinher，Bettyrosetoherfeet。
"Mydeargirl，"hesaid，"don’tgetupasifyoumeanttogoaway。Ithascostmesomeexertiontofindyou。"
"Itwillnotcostyouanyexertiontoloseme，"washerlightanswer。"IAMgoingaway。"
Hehadreachedher，andstoodstillbeforeherwithscarcelyayard’sdistancebetweenthem。Hewasslightlyoutofbreathandevenatriflelivid。Heleanedonhisstickandhislookathercombinedleapingbadtemperwithsomethingdeeper。
"Lookhere！"hebrokeout，"whydoyoumakesuchapointoftreatingmelikethedevil？"
Bettyfeltherheartgiveahastenedbeat，notoffear，butofrepulsion。ThiswasthemoodandmannerwhichsubjugatedRosalie。Hehadsoraisedhisvoicethattwomeninthedistance，whomightbeeitherlabourersorsportsmen，hearingitshightone，glancedcuriouslytowardsthem。
"Whydoyouaskmeaquestionwhichistotallyabsurd？"
shesaid。
"Itisnotabsurd，"heanswered。"Iamspeakingoffacts，andIintendtocometosomeunderstandingaboutthem。"
Forreply，aftermeetinghislookafewseconds，shesimplyturnedherbackandbegantowalkaway。Hefollowedandovertookher。
"Ishallgowithyou，andIshallsaywhatIwanttosay，"
hepersisted。"IfyouhastenyourpaceIshallhastenmine。
Icannotexactlyseeyourunningawayfrommeacrossthemarsh，screaming。Youwouldn’tcaretoberescuedbythosemenovertherewhoarewatchingus。IshouldexplainmyselftothemintermsneitheryounorRosaliewouldenjoy。There！
IknewRosalie’snamewouldpullyouup。GoodGod！IwishIwereaweakfoolwithamagnificentcreatureprotectingmeatallrisks。"
Ifshehadnothadbloodandfireinherveins，shemighthavefounditeasytoanswercalmly。Butshehadboth，andbothleapedandbeatfuriouslyforafewseconds。Itwasonlyhumanthatitshouldbeso。Butshewasmorethanapassionategirlofhighandtrenchantspirit，andshehadlearned，eveninthedaysattheFrenchschool，whathehadneverbeenabletolearninhislife——self—control。Sheheldherselfinasshewouldhaveheldinahorseoftoogreatfireandaction。Shewasactuallyabletolook——asthefirstReubenVanderpoelwouldhavelooked——athercapitalofresource。Butitmeanttautholdingofthereins。
"Willyoutellme，"shesaid，stopping，"whatitisyouwant？"
"Iwanttotalktoyou。Iwanttotellyoutruthsyouwouldratherbetoldherethanonthehighroad，wherepeoplearepassing——oratStornham，wheretheservantswouldoverhearandRosaliebethrownintohysterics。YouwillNOTrunscreamingacrossthemarsh，becauseIshouldrunscreamingafteryou，andweshouldbothlooksilly。Hereisaratherscraggytree。Willyousitonthemoundnearit——forRosalie’ssake？"
"Iwillnotsitdown，"repliedBetty，"butIwilllisten，becauseitisnotabadideathatIshouldunderstandyou。Buttobeginwith，Iwilltellyousomething。"Shestoppedbeneaththetreeandstoodwithherbackagainstitstrunk。
"Ipickupthingsbynoticingpeopleclosely，andIhaverealisedthatallyourlifeyouhavecountedupongettingyourownwaybecauseyousawthatpeople——especiallywomen——haveahorrorofpublicscenes，andwillsubmittoalmostanythingtoavoidthem。Thatistrueveryoften，butnotalways。"
Hereyes，whichwerewellopened，werequitetheblueofsteel，andresteddirectlyuponhim。"I，forinstance，wouldletyoumakeascenewithmeanywhereyouchose——inBondStreet——
inPiccadilly——onthestepsofBuckinghamPalace，asIwasgettingoutofmycarriagetoattendadrawing—room——andyouwouldgainnothingyouwantedbyit——nothing。Youmayplaceentireconfidenceinthatstatement。"
Hestaredbackather，momentarilyhalf—magnetised，andthenbrokeforthintoaharshhalf—laugh。
"Youaresodamnedhandsomethatnothingelsematters。
I’mhangedifitdoes！"andthewordswereanexclamation。
Hedrewstillnearertoher，speakingwithasortofsavagery。
"Cannotyouseethatyoucoulddowhatyoupleasedwithme？Youaretoomagnificentathingforamantowithstand。
Ihavelostmyheadandgonetothedevilthroughyou。
ThatiswhatIcametosay。"
Inthefewsecondsofsilencethatfollowed，hisbreathc
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