In his impetuous manner he cut short my carefully-expressed argument.
"Rubbish! Heaps of people I know are already convinced that I was
keeping Lola Brandt and that you took her from me in the ordinary vulgar
way--"
"Yes, yes," I interrupted, shrinking. "That's why I order you, in God's
name, to leave the whole thing alone."
"But confound it, man! I've come out of it all right, why shouldn't you?
Even supposing Lola was a loose woman--"
I threw up my hand. "Stop!"
He looked disconcerted for a moment.
"We know she isn't, but for the sake of argument--"
"Don't argue," said I. "Let us drop it."
"But hang it all!" he shouted in desperation. "Can't I do something!
Can't I go and kick somebody?"
I lost my self-control. I rose and put both my hands on his shoulders
and looked him in the eyes.
"You can kick anybody you please whom you hear breathe a word against
the honour and purity of Madame Lola Brandt."
Then I walked away, knowing I had betrayed myself, and tried to light
a cigar with fingers that shook.
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