You fool, it's her story I've been
telling you--your wife's. She lived with that man--went to Russia with
him----"
"Be silent!"
The two words cut short the torrent pouring from Idina's lips, as a
block of ice might dam a rushing stream. But it was the look in Angelo's
eyes, even more than his command, which shocked Idina into silence. She
knew then that as much as he loved his wife, he hated her, Idina, and
that nothing on earth could ever change his hate back into indifference.
She knew that if she were a man he would by this time have killed her.
The knowledge was anguish almost beyond bearing, yet the irrevocability
of what she had done spurred her on after the first instant.
"I'll _not_ be silent!" she panted. "For your father's sake. You've
disgraced him in marrying this woman----"
"Go," Angelo said, "unless you wish to be turned out by my servants, you
and your friend whom you brought here on false pretences."
"I didn't know how she was going to work this thing," Miss Jewett
protested hastily. "If I had, I wouldn't----"
"It does not matter," Angelo said.
"But it does matter. Everything matters," Marie broke in, her quiet,
alert, almost businesslike tone a surprise to her friend. "Don't send
them away yet, Angelo--in justice to me. I know you don't believe things
against me--of course not. Perhaps you would not believe, even if they
could seem to prove anything, which they couldn't do. Things that aren't
true can't be proved really, by the most cruel and malicious people.
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