He turned this over for a perceptible space of time before asking slowly: “You mean that you’ll give me up, if I don’t do this crazy thing you propose?”

She paused in turn. “No,” she said; “I don’t want to bribe you. You must feel the need of it yourself.”

“The need of proclaiming this thing publicly?”

“Yes.”

He sat staring before him. “Of course you realize what it would mean?” he began at length.

“To you?” she returned.

“I put that aside. To others—to you. I should go to prison.”

“I suppose so,” she said simply.

“You seem to take it very easily—I’m afraid my mother wouldn’t.”

“Your mother?” This produced the effect he had expected.