She had simply put me off, that she
might hear from Wall Street. If Henry had failed she would have
decided for Arnault, and I believe my attentions led to his tricky
transaction--that he loaned the money and called it in when he
believed that Henry could not meet his demand. I must be put out
of his way, for he reasoned justly that the girl would drop me if
impoverished. Thus indirectly I might have caused Henry's failure--a
blow from which I should never have recovered. Henry is safe now, he
assures me; and, oh, Madge, thank God, I have found her out before
it was too late! I had fully resolved while oft trouting that I would
break with her finally if I found Arnault at her side again. Now he
may marry her, for all I care, and I wish him no worse punishment.
I shall go to my room now and write to her that everything is over
between us. The fact is, Madge, you spoiled Miss Wildmere for me on
that morning drive the other day. After leaving your society and going
into hers I felt the difference keenly, and while I should then have
fulfilled the obligations which I had so stupidly incurred, I had
little heart in the affair. Her acting was consummate, but a true
woman's nature had been revealed to me, and the glamour was gone from
the false one.
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