"But he has dropped them?"

"They ve dropped him. Of that I'm sure. It
ought to do for you. I offered him," the girl im
mediately continued " and it was for that I went
to him to come and be with him, make a home
for him so far as is possible. But he won't hear
of it."

Densher took this in with visible, but generous,
wonder. " You offered him impossible as you
describe him to me to live with him and share
his disadvantages? " The young man saw for the
moment but the high beauty of it. " You are gal
lant!"

"Because it strikes you as being brave for him?"
She wouldn't in the least have this. " It wasn't
courage it was the opposite. I did it to save my
self to escape."

He had his air, so constant at this stage, as of her
giving him finer things than any one to think about.
"Escape from what?"

"From everything."

"Do you by any chance mean from me?"

"No; I spoke to him of you, told him or what
amounted to it that I would bring you, if he
would allow it, with me."

"But he won't allow it," said Densher.

"Won't hear of it on any terms. He won't help
me, won't save me, won't hold out a finger to me,"
Kate went on; "he simply wriggles away, in his
inimitable manner, and throws me back."

[[78]]

p077 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p078w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p079

v?