And, at once, his brain began to search, steely and quick, for
some way out; and the expression as when a fox broke covert, came on his
face.
"Nobody knows, Gyp?"
"No; nobody."
That was something! With an irritation that rose from his very soul, he
muttered:
"I can't stand it that you should suffer, and that fellow Fiorsen go
scot-free. Can you give up seeing Summerhay while we get you a divorce?
We might do it, if no one knows. I think you owe it to me, Gyp."
Gyp got up and stood by the window a long time without answering. Winton
watched her face. At last she said:
"I couldn't. We might stop seeing each other; it isn't that. It's what
I should feel. I shouldn't respect myself after; I should feel so mean.
Oh, Dad, don't you see? He really loved me in his way. And to pretend!
To make out a case for myself, tell about Daphne Wing, about his
drinking, and baby; pretend that I wanted him to love me, when I got
to hate it and didn't care really whether he was faithful or not--and
knowing all the while that I've been everything to someone else! I
couldn't. I'd much rather let him know, and ask him to divorce me."
Winton replied:
"And suppose he won't?"
"Then my mind would be clear, anyway; and we would take what we could."
"And little Gyp?"
Staring before her as if trying to see into the future, she said slowly:
"Some day, she'll understand, as I do.
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