. . . but I’ve only myself to blame . . . why in the devil did I ever suggest it to her? . . . because I hoped my helping her while Sam was in the city would bring us alone together? . . . but I made the suggestion before she had that abortion performed! . . . how do you know she did? . . . because I know! . . . there are psychic affinities . . . her body confessed . . . and since then, I’ve felt an aversion . . . as if she were a criminal . . . she is! . . . how could she? . . . why? . . . I thought she wanted a child . . . but evidently I don’t know her . . . I suppose, afraid it would spoil her figure . . . her flesh . . . her power to enslave men’s senses . . . mine . . . and I had hoped . . . looked forward to her becoming a mother . . . for my peace of mind. . . .
[Catching himself—violently]
Shut up! . . . what a base creature I’m becoming! . . . to have such thoughts when Mother is sick and I ought to be thinking only of her! . . . and it’s none of my damn business, anyway! . . .
[Glaring at Evans resentfully as if he were to blame]
Look at him! . . . he’ll never suspect anything! . . . what a simple-simon! . . . he adored Gordon as a newsboy does a champion pugilist! . . . and Nina writes of Gordon as if he had been a demi-god! . . . when actually he came from the commonest people! . . .
[He suddenly speaks to Evans with a really savage satisfaction]
Did I tell you I once looked up Gordon’s family in Beachampton? A truly deplorable lot! When I remembered Gordon and looked at his father I had either to suspect a lover in the wood pile or to believe in an Immaculate Conception . . . that is, until I saw his mother! Then a stork became the only conceivable explanation!
