And now the position was changed. All
sorts of feeble explanations, of appeals to him, occurred to her
dimly, only to be rejected by reason of their ridiculous inadequacy.
She was silent-abjectly silent.
He came a little closer to her, and the strength of the man was
manifest in his intense self-restraint. His words were measured,
his tone quiet. Yet both somehow gave evidence of the smouldering
fires beneath.
"Lucille," he said, "I find you hard to understand to-day. You
have made me your slave, you came once more into my life at its
most critical moment, and for your sake I have betrayed a great
trust. My conscience, my faith, and although that counts for
little, my political career, were in the balance against my love
for you. You know which conquered. At your bidding I have made
myself the jest of every man who buys the halfpenny paper and
calls himself a politician. My friends heap abuse upon me, my
enemies derision. I cannot hold my position in this new Cabinet.
I had gone too far for compromise. I wonder if you quite
understand what has happened?"
"Oh, I have heard too much," she cried. "Spare me the rest."
He continued as though he had not heard her.
"Men who have been my intimate associates for many years, and whose
friendship was dear to me, cross the road to avoid: meeting me, day
by day I am besieged with visitors and letters from the suffering
people to whom my word had been pledged, imploring me for some
explanation, for one word of denial.
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