I've seen for myself."
"What have you seen?"
"She has broken it off. Everything's over. Father's in the depths."
"In the depths?" the girl quavered.
"Did you think it would make him jolly?" he went on.
She had to choose what to say. "He'll get over it. He'll he glad."
"That remains to be seen. You interfered, you invented something,
you got round her. I insist on knowing what you did."
Adela felt that if it was a question of obstinacy there was something
within her she could count on; in spite of which, while she stood
looking down again a moment, she said to herself "I could be dumb and
dogged if I chose, but I scorn to be." She wasn't ashamed of what
she had done, but she wanted to be clear. "Are you absolutely
certain it's broken off?"
"He is, and she is; so that's as good."
"What reason has she given?"
"None at all--or half a dozen; it's the same thing. She has changed
her mind--she mistook her feelings--she can't part with her
independence. Moreover he has too many children."
"Did he tell you this?" the girl asked.
"Mrs. Churchley told me. She has gone abroad for a year."
"And she didn't tell you what I said to her?"
Godfrey showed an impatience. "Why should I take this trouble if she
had?"
"You might have taken it to make me suffer," said Adela. "That
appears to be what you want to do."
"No, I leave that to you--it's the good turn you've done me!" cried
the young man with hot tears in his eyes.
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