"I will not
degrade myself any further. I will not go!"
Harry rose too. He faced her for a moment. His eyes dropped. Even he
remembered, at that moment, how great must be the fall of a woman who
would consent to play such a part.
"You shall not go," he said, "unless you like. You can leave me to the
consequences of my own acts--to my own degradation. Go back to England.
In one thing only spare me. Do not tell what you know. As for me, I
will forge a letter from you--"
"Forge a letter!"
It is the only way left open, giving the lawyers authority to act, and
inclosing the will. What will happen next? By whose hands the money is
to reach me I know not yet. But you can leave me, Iris. Better that you
should leave me--I shall only drag you lower."
"Why must you forge the letter? Why not come with me somewhere--the
world is large!--to some place where you are not known, and there let
us begin a new life? We have not much money, but I can sell my watches
and chains and rings, and we shall have enough. O Harry! for once be
guided--listen to me! We shall find some humble manner of living, and
we may be happy yet. There is no harm done if you have only pretended
to be dead; nobody has been injured or defrauded--"
"Iris, you talk wildly! Do you imagine, for one moment, that the doctor
will release me from my bargain?"
"What bargain?"
"Why--of course he was to be paid for the part he has taken in the
business.
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