The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (2.1894)

By Henry James 359

Again, for an instant, I deliberated. "The offer I propose to
make you gives me the right to put you a question remarkably
direct. Are you still engaged to Miss Anvoy ? "

" No, I'm not," he slowly brought out. " But we're perfectly
good friends."

" Such good friends that you will again become prospective
husband and wife if the obstacle in your path be removed ?"

" Removed ? " Gravener vaguely repeated.

"If I give Miss Anvoy the Ietter I speak of she may drop her
project."

" Then for God's sake give it ! "

"I'll do so if you're ready to assure me that her dropping it
would now presumably bring about your marriage."

" l'd marry her the next day ! " my visitor cried.

" Yes, but would she marry you ? What I ask of you of
course is nothing less than your word of honour as to your con-
viction of this. If you give it me," I said, "I'll place the Ietter
in her hand to-day."

Gravener took up his hat; turning it mechanically round, he
stood looking a moment hard at its unruffled perfection. Then,
very angrily, honestly and gallantly : " Place it in hell ! " he
broke out ; with which he clapped the hat on his head and left me.

"Will you read it or not? " I said to Ruth Anvoy, at Wimble-
don, when I had told her the story of Mrs. Saltram's visit.

She reflected for a period which was probably of the briefest,
but which was long enough to make me nervous. " Have you
brought it with you ? "

" No indeed. It's at home, locked up."

There was another great silence, and then she said : " Go back
and destroy it."

I went back, but I didn't destroy it tili after Saltram's death,

when