ncies himself tremendously, for all his ways of a holy
innocent, his damned airs of a sugar-candy Galahad. But I've won him, I
tell you, by that very innocence of his. I'm the one soul in the world
he truly reveres. His sun rises and sets in me. And now he's where I
want him. I've worn out his hope, kept him from doing the thing he
wanted to do, kept him on the edge of despair out of respect and fear
and love of me. The beggar _has_ a certain devilish sort of genius, but
he doesn't know where it lies, and I've taken precious good care he
shouldn't find out. Oh, but I've had a rich time of it--disgusting and
rich. Nearly a year it is now that he's led me this dance, but I've
hooked him beautifully, and to-night I'll pull him in." She had been
watching the play of spite on his face, and it was with difficulty that
she moistened her lips to say:

"But what will you do to-night--what can you say?"

"Everything I've laid a train for saying, this year past. Tell him how I
despise him for his empty pretensions, his constant, wretched failures.
Show him to himself as a conceited dawdler and a cheat who has lived on
my bounty--oh, I saw to that--a cheat who has defrauded me of time and
money and faith in man. Never fear but I'll know the things to say. I've
told them to _her_ often enough." He thrust viciously at the portrait.
"And you'll hear it all, my Lady Disdain, with your face to the wall to
hide its belated blushes."

Again she tried to speak but her lips were dry. At last she achieved a
few rather husky words.

"Randall, if you please, might I have a glass of something--water, I'd
like."

"To be sure, my child. You're certain you won't join me in a brandy and
soda? No? I'll get you something below."

She clutched at the moment to quiet, if she could, that tumult of heart
and brain. Her mind dwelt chiefly on Ewing's dejection as she had left
him the day before. Teevan came back, bearing a carafe and a bottle of
soda water. She drank a glass of the water greedily, and murmured her
thanks as he gave her more. It refreshed her and she seemed to feel a
renewal of strength. Her fever was heating her brain to wild activity.
She felt a crazy desire to cool her head, to lean it against snow or
cold metal. She thought fleetingly of cold things she had touched, of
marble, icicles, a brass rail with frost on it. She was goading her mind
for a way to reach Teevan. She drank the second glass of water, and
again he refilled it,