He knew by what
Quisante had attracted and held her; all that, it seemed, was gone now.
He divined also in what Quisante repelled and almost terrified her; that
would remain so long as breath was in the man and might grow even more
intense. A sense of fairness somehow impelled him to his wish; her
bargain had turned out so badly; the underlying basis of her marriage was
broken; she was left to pay the price to the last penny, but was to get
nothing of what she had looked to purchase. Was it not then the part of a
courageous man to face his instinctive wish, and to accept it boldly?
Cant and tradition apart, it must be the wish of every sensible person.
For she knew, she had realised most completely on the very evening when
Quisante was struck down, what manner of man he was. She might have
endured if she had still been able to tell herself of the wonderful
things that he would do. No such comfort was open now. The man was still
what he was; but he would do nothing. There came the change.
"That's the weak point about marriage as compared with other contractual
arrangements," said Morewood to Dick Benyon.
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