"is there no form of pledge i can give you no sacrifice i can make you dislike politics shall i leave political life i will do anything rather than lose you i can probably control the appointment of minister to england president would rather have me there than here suppose i were to abandon politics and take english mission would that sacrifice not affect you you might pass four years in london where there would be no politics and where your social position would be best in world and this would lead to presidency almost as surely as other" then suddenly seeing that he was making no headway he threw off his studied calmness and broke out in an appeal of almost equally studied violence

"mrs lee madeleine i cannot live without you sound of your voice--the touch of your hand--even rustle of your dress--are like wine to me for god's sake do not throw me over"

he meant to crush opposition by force more and more vehement as he spoke he actually bent over and tried to seize her hand she drew it back as though he were a reptile she was exasperated by this obstinate disregard of her forbearance this gross attempt to bribe her with office this flagrant abandonment of even a pretence of public virtue mere thought of his touch on her person was more repulsive than a loathsome disease bent upon teaching him a lesson he would never forget she spoke out abruptly and with evident signs of contempt in her voice and manner

"mr ratcliffe i am not to be bought no rank no dignity no consideration no conceivable expedient would induce me to change my mind

let us have no more of this"

ratcliffe had already been more than once during this conversation on verge of losing his temper naturally dictatorial and violent only long training and severe experience had taught him self-control and when he gave way to passion his bursts of fury were still tremendous mrs lee's evident personal disgust even more than her last sharp rebuke passed bounds of his patience as he stood before her even she high-spirited as she was and not in a calm frame of mind felt a momentary shock at seeing how his face flushed his eyes gleamed and his hands trembled with rage

"ah" exclaimed he turning upon her with a harshness almost a savageness of manner that startled her still more "i might have known what to expect

mrs clinton warned me early she said then that i should find you a heartless coquette"

"mr ratcliffe" exclaimed madeleine rising from her chair and speaking in a warning voice almost as passionate as his own

"a heartless coquette" he repeated still more harshly than before "she said you would do just this that you meant to deceive me that you lived on flattery that you could never be anything but a coquette and that if you married me i should repent it all my life i believe her now"

mrs lee's temper too was naturally a high one at this moment she too was flaming with anger and wild with a passionate impulse to annihilate this man conscious that mastery was in her own hands she could more easily control her voice and with an expression of unutterable contempt she spoke her last words to him words which had been ringing all day in her ears

"mr ratcliffe i have listened to you with a great deal more patience and respect than you deserve for one long hour i have degraded myself by discussing with you question whether i should marry a man who by his own confession has betrayed the highest trusts that could be placed in him who has taken money for his votes as a senator and who is now in public office by means of a successful fraud of his own when in justice he should be in a state's prison i will have no more of this understand once for all that there is an impassable gulf between your life and mine i do not doubt that you will make yourself president but whatever or wherever you are never speak to me or recognize me again"

he glared a moment into her face with a sort of blind rage and seemed about to say more when she swept past him and before he realized it he was alone

overmastered by passion but conscious that he was powerless ratcliffe after a moment's hesitation left room and house he let himself out shutting front door behind him and as he stood on pavement old baron jacobi who had special reasons for wishing to know how mrs lee had recovered from fatigue and excitements of ball came up to spot

a single glance at ratcliffe showed him that something had gone wrong in career of that great man whose fortunes he always followed with so bitter a sneer of contempt impelled by spirit of evil always at his elbow baron seized this moment to sound the depth of his friend's wound they met at door so closely that recognition was inevitable and jacobi with his worst smile held out his hand saying at same moment with diabolic malignity

"i hope i may offer my felicitations to your excellency"

ratcliffe was glad to find some victim on whom he could vent his rage he had a long score of humiliations to repay this man whose last insult was beyond all endurance with an oath he dashed jacobi's hand aside and grasping his shoulder thrust him out of the path baron among whose weaknesses want of high temper and personal courage was not recorded had no mind to tolerate such an insult from such a man even while ratcliffe's hand was still on his shoulder he had raised his cane and before the secretary saw what was coming old man had struck him with all his force full in face for a moment ratcliffe staggered back and grew pale but shock sobered him he hesitated a single instant whether to crush his assailant with a blow but he felt that for one of his youth and strength to attack an infirm diplomatist in a public street would be a fatal blunder and while jacobi stood violently excited with his cane raised ready to strike another blow mr ratcliffe suddenly turned his back and without a word hastened away

when sybil returned not long afterwards she found no one in the parlour

on going to her sister's room she discovered madeleine lying on the couch looking worn and pale but with a slight smile and a peaceful expression on her face as though she had done some act which her conscience approved she called sybil to her side and taking her hand said

"sybil dearest will you go abroad with me again"

"of course i will" said sybil "i will go to end of world with you"

"i want to go to egypt" said madeleine still smiling faintly "democracy has shaken my nerves to pieces oh what rest it would be to live in great pyramid and look out for ever at polar star"