"
West's eyes stared beyond her into the flames.
"I haven't much to say," he said quietly at length. "Only this. You are
acting without counting the cost. There is a price to pay for
everything, but the price you will have to pay for this is heavier than
you realise. There should be--there can be--no such thing as equality
between a woman in your position--a good woman--and a blackguard in
mine."
Cynthia made a little gesture of impatience without turning her head.
"Oh, you needn't treat me as if I were on a different plane," she said.
"I'm a sinner, too, in my own humble way. It's unreasonable of you to go
on like that, unkind as well. I may be only a sprat in your estimation,
but even a sprat has its little feelings, its little heartaches, too, I
daresay." She broke off with a sigh and a laugh; then, drawing
impulsively nearer to him, but still without turning: "Do you remember
once, ages and ages ago, you were on the verge of saying something to
me, of--telling me something? And we were interrupted. Mr. West, I've
been waiting all these years to hear what that something was."
West did not stir an eyelid. His face was stern and hard.
"I forget," he said.
She turned upon him then, raising a finger and pointing straight at him.
"That," she said, with conviction, "is just one of your lies!"
West became silent, still staring fixedly into the fire.
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