human
Mr. Lawson.
gpt
My father has just told me, she began; then, one look into his eyes at the suffering she saw there,
human
Why, oh why did you do it?
gpt
Do what?
human
Live this lie!
gpt
Lie!
human
You knew--
gpt
I knew every paper reeked with it five years ago--that I could not pick up a sheet without seeing the shameful words. Every man I met home or abroad showed his knowledge of it. It's been branded on every hour of my life since that cursed day.
human
You knew we did not know.
gpt
How should I? Why shouldn't you?
human
You should have told--
gpt
Is it a pleasant tale to tell? No! with slow bitterness,
human
I should _not_ have told. Then you would have married me, and I--oh God!
gpt
Married _you_--_you_, with another wife!
human
Wife!
gpt
A woman bearing your name.
human
She does!
gpt
And I! she cried.
human
And I?
gpt
You speak as-- You! You would have been my legal, loved, idolized wife. Listen, for you shall know! My God, it's hard enough! I was a fool, young! I had to send for my father to sign my license, and he, he was taken in too. She was beautiful. Her family, her position-- Well, all she wanted was money, and she got it. I paid her enough for my freedom, God knows. She fooled us both.
human
Paid her! And she is bearing your name, living on your money!
gpt
It was what she wanted! She got both!
human
And you, you loved her!
gpt
It was the passion of a crude idiot!
human
And you tired of her?
gpt
Put it truthfully--she of me, if ever she wanted me!
human
You loved her, and you have forgotten her! How do I know, blazed Frances,
gpt
Frances!
human
Forget me--_me_!
gpt
I tell you with truth I thought at first that you knew it. I thought every one, wherever I should go, would know. It was a spicy enough scandal for the paper's headlines; I thought it blazoned everywhere, even if it were five years ago.
human
We never read such things,
gpt
So I find; but even then, there is always some one ready to speak.
human
There was none here.
gpt
So I find, he repeated wearily,
human
As to you knowing, Frances, he said gently,
gpt
I knew you did not. I tried to tell you once, and then, the opportunity gone, let myself stray in this fool's paradise. It was paradise to him, now the gates were closed.
human
I feared your crude views; you will never know the temptation I fought to be silent.
gpt
Leave me no bitterer words to remember, he begged.
human
I shall say good-by!