"
"Your sympathy is without doubt on her side?"
Wingate changed his attitude.
"Look here," he said, "this subject is not of my choosing. I should have
preferred to avoid it. Since you press me, however, I haven't the
faintest hesitation in saying that I look upon your wife as one of the
sweetest and best women I ever knew, married, unfortunately, to a person
utterly unworthy of her."
Dredlinton started in his place. A little streak of colour flushed up
to his eyes.
"What the devil do you mean by that?"
"Look here," Wingate expostulated, "you can't threaten me, Dredlinton.
You asked for what you got. Why not save time and explain why you have
dragged your wife's name into this business?"
Dredlinton, in his peculiar way, was angry. His speech was a little
broken, his eyes glittered.
"Explain? My God, I will! You are one of those damned frauds, Wingate,
who pose as a purist and don't hesitate to make capital out of the
harmless differences which sometimes arise between husband and wife. You
sympathise with Lady Dredlinton, eh?"
"I should sympathise with any woman who was your wife," Wingate assured
him, his own temper rising.
Dredlinton leaned a little forward. He spoke with a vicious
distinctness.
"You sympathise with her to such an extent that you lure her to your
rooms at midnight and send her back when you've--"
Dredlinton's courage oozed out before he had finished his speech.
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