Anna stood looking from one to the other. It had becomeapparent to her in a flash that Owen's retort, though itstartled Sophy, did not take her by surprise; and thediscovery shot its light along dark distances of fear.

　　The immediate inference was that Owen had guessed the reasonof Darrow's disapproval of his marriage, or that, at least,he suspected Sophy Viner of knowing and dreading it. Thisconfirmation of her own obscure doubt sent a tremor of alarmthrough Anna. For a moment she felt like exclaiming: "Allthis is really no business of mine, and I refuse to have youmix me up in it--" but her secret fear held her fast.

　　Sophy Viner was the first to speak.

　　"I should like to go now," she said in a low voice, taking afew steps toward the door.

　　Her tone woke Anna to the sense of her own share in thesituation. "I quite agree with you, my dear, that it'suseless to carry on this discussion. But since Mr. Darrow'sname has been brought into it, for reasons which I fail toguess, I want to tell you that you're both mistaken if youthink he's not in sympathy with your marriage. If that'swhat Owen means to imply, the idea's a complete delusion."She spoke the words deliberately and incisively, as ifhoping that the sound of their utterance would stifle thewhisper in her bosom.

　　Sophy's only answer was a vague murmur, and a movement thatbrought her nearer to the door; but before she could reachit Owen had placed himself in her way.

　　"I don't mean to imply what you think," he said, addressinghis step-mother but keeping his eyes on the girl. "I don'tsay Darrow doesn't like our marriage; I say it's Sophy who'shated it since Darrow's been here!"He brought out the charge in a tone of forced composure, buthis lips were white and he grasped the doorknob to hide thetremor of his hand.

　　Anna's anger surged up with her fears. "You're absurd,Owen! I don't know why I listen to you. Why should Sophydislike Mr. Darrow, and if she does, why should that haveanything to do with her wishing to break her engagement?""I don't say she dislikes him! I don't say she likes him; Idon't know what it is they say to each other when they'reshut up together alone.""Shut up together alone?" Anna stared. Owen seemed like aman in delirium; such an exhibition was degrading to themall. But he pushed on without seeing her look.

　　"Yes--the first evening she came, in the study; the nextmorning, early, in the park; yesterday, again, in thespring-house, when you were at the lodge with the doctor...Idon't know what they say to each other, but they've takenevery chance they could to say it...and to say it when theythought that no one saw them."Anna longed to silence him, but no words came to her. It wasas though all her confused apprehensions had suddenly takendefinite shape. There was "something"--yes, there was"something"...Darrow's reticences and evasions had been morethan a figment of her doubts.

　　The next instant brought a recoil of pride. She turnedindignantly on her step-son.

　　"I don't half understand what you've been saying; but whatyou seem to hint is so preposterous, and so insulting bothto Sophy and to me, that I see no reason why we shouldlisten to you any longer."Though her tone steadied Owen, she perceived at once that itwould not deflect him from his purpose. He spoke lessvehemently, but with all the more precision.

　　"How can it be preposterous, since it's true? Or insulting,since I don't know, any more than YOU, the meaning ofwhat I've been seeing? If you'll be patient with me I'll tryto put it quietly. What I mean is that Sophy has completelychanged since she met Darrow here, and that, having noticedthe change, I'm hardly to blame for having tried to find outits cause."Anna made an effort to answer him with the same composure.

　　"You're to blame, at any rate, for so recklessly assumingthat you HAVE found it out. You seem to forget that,till they met here, Sophy and Mr. Darrow hardly knew eachother.""If so, it's all the stranger that they've been so oftencloseted together!""Owen, Owen--" the girl sighed out.

　　He turned his haggard face to her. "Can I help it, if I'veseen and known what I wasn't meant to? For God's sake giveme a reason--any reason I can decently make out with! Is itmy fault if, the day after you arrived, when I came backlate through the garden, the curtains of the study hadn'tbeen drawn, and I saw you there alone with Darrow?"Anna laughed impatiently. "Really, Owen, if you make it agrievance that two people who are staying in the same houseshould be seen talking together----!""They were not talking. That's the point----""Not talking? How do you know? You could hardly hear themfrom the garden!""No; but I could see. HE was sitting at my desk, withhis face in his hands. SHE was standing in the window,looking away from him..."He waited, as if for Sophy Viner's answer; but still sheneither stirred nor spoke.

　　"That was the first time," he went on; "and the second wasthe next morning in the park. It was natural enough, theirmeeting there. Sophy had gone out with Effie, and Effie ranback to look for me. She told me she'd left Sophy andDarrow in the path that leads to the river, and presently wesaw them ahead of us. They didn't see us at first, becausethey were standing looking at e............