day--or I will make it end."

"For God's sake do not talk like that!"

"How should I talk? What should I say? Is it of any use to speak to him?
Do you think I have not begged him, implored him, besought him, almost
on my knees, to give up that work and do other things?"

Griggs looked straight into her eyes a moment and then almost understood
what she meant.

"You mean that he--that when he is painting there--" He hesitated.

"Of course. All day long. All the bitter live-long day! They sit there
together on pretence of talking about it. You know--you can guess at
least--it is the old, old story, and I have to suffer for it. She could
not marry him--because she is a princess and he an artist--good enough
for me--God knows, I love him! Too good for her, ten thousand times too
good! But yet not good enough for her to marry! He needed a wife, and
she brought us together, and I suppose he told her that I should do very
well for the purpose. I was a good subject. I fell in love with
him--that was what they wanted. A wife for her favourite! O God! When I
think of it--"

She stopped suddenly and buried her face in both her hands, as she
leaned upon the piano.

"It is not to be believed!" The strong man's voice vibrated with the
rising storm of anger.

She looked up again with flashing eyes and pale cheeks.

"No!" she cried. "It is not to be believed! But you see it now. You see
what it all is, and how my life is wrecked and ruined before it is half
begun. It would be bad enough if I had married him for his fame, for his
face, for his money, for anything he has or could have. But I married
him because I loved him with all my soul, and worshipped him and
everything he did."

"I know. We all saw it."

"Of course--was it anything to hide? And I thought he loved me, too. Do
you know?" She grew more calm. "At first I used to go and sit in the
hall when he was at work. Then he grew silent, and I felt that he did
not want me. I thought it was because he was such a great artist, and
could not talk and work, and wanted to be alone. So I stayed away. Then,
once, I went there, and she was there, sitting in that great chair--it
shows off the innocence of her white face, you know! The innocence of
it!" Gloria laughed bitterly. "They were talking when I came, and they
stopped as soon as the door opened. I am sure they were talking about
me. Then they seemed dreadfully uncomfortable, and she went away. After
that I went several