"It had to be.
Yes. It was sudden, but it had to be."
He leaned towards her, his mouth open, his eyes wild with virtuous anger,
but meeting the absolute candour of her raised glance threw himself back
into his corner again.
"So tremendously in love with each other--was that it? Couldn't let a
father have his daughter all to himself even for a day after--after such
a separation. And you know I never had anyone, I had no friends. What
did I want with those people one meets in the City. The best of them are
ready to cut your throat. Yes! Business men, gentlemen, any sort of men
and women--out of spite, or to get something. Oh yes, they can talk fair
enough if they think there's something to be got out of you . . . " His
voice was a mere breath yet every word came to Flora as distinctly as if
charged with all the moving power of passion . . . "My girl, I looked at
them making up to me and I would say to myself: What do I care for all
that! I am a business man. I am the great Mr. de Barral (yes, yes, some
of them twisted their mouths at it, but I _was_ the great Mr.
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