. . . You two people are lovers. Very natural and
simple, but I want to get out of it. Yes, I want to get out of it.
That wasn't quite my idea, but now I see it is. It's queer, but on
the whole I feel sorry for you. All of us, poor humans--. There's
reason to be sorry for all of us. We're full of lusts and
uneasiness and resentments that we haven't the will to control.
What do you two people want me to do to you? Would you like a
divorce, Amanda? It's the clean, straight thing, isn't it? Or
would the scandal hurt you?"
Amanda sat crouched together, with her eyes on Benham.
"Give us a divorce," said Easton, looking to her to confirm him.
Amanda shook her head.
"I don't want a divorce," she said.
"Then what do you want?" asked Benham with sudden asperity.
"I don't want a divorce," she repeated. "Why do you, after a long
silence, come home like this, abruptly, with no notice?"
"It was the way it took me," said Benham, after a little interval.
"You have left me for long months."
"Yes. I was angry. And it was ridiculous to be angry.
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