She smiled at him through half closed eyes that with a gentle and shy frankness confessed the secret of his attraction for her.There was, however, more of strength than of passion in her face as a whole.Said she:
"We're getting on well--as we are aren't we? I can meet the most amusing and interesting people--my sort of people.You can go with the people and to the places you like and you'll not be bound.If you should take a notion to marry some woman with a big position--you'd not have to regret being tied to--Queenie.""But--I want you--I want you," said he."I've got to have you.""As long as you like," said she."But on terms I can accept--always on terms I can accept.Never on any others--never! I can't help it.I can yield everything but that."Where she was concerned he was the primitive man only.The higher his passion rose, the stronger became his desire for absolute possession.When she spoke of terms--of the limitations upon his possession of her--she transformed his passion into fury.He eyed her wickedly, abruptly demanded:
"When did you decide to make this kick-up?"
"I don't know.Simply--when you asked me to sign, I found Icouldn't."
"You don't expect _me_ to believe that."
"It's the truth." She resumed brushing her hair.
"Look at me!"
She turned her face toward him, met his gaze.
"Have you fallen in love with that young Jew?""Gourdain? No."
"Have you a crazy notion that your looks'll get you a better husband? A big fortune or a title?""I haven't thought about a husband.Haven't I told you I wish to be free?""But that doesn't mean anything."
"It might," said she absently.
"How?"
"I don't know.If one is always free--one is ready for--whatever comes.Anyhow, I must be free--no matter what it costs.""I see you're bent on dropping back into the dirt I picked you out of.""Even that," she said."I must be free."
"Haven't you any desire to be respectable--decent?""I guess not," confessed she."What is there in that direction for me?""A woman doesn't stay young and good-looking long.""No." She smiled faintly."But does she get old and ugly any slower for being married?"He rose and stood over her, looked smiling danger down at her.
She leaned back in her chair to meet his eyes without constraint."You're trying to play me a trick," said he.
"But you're not going to get away with the goods.I'm astonished that you are so rotten ungrateful.""Because I'm not for sale?"
"Queenie balking at selling herself," he jeered."And what's the least you ever did sell for?""A half-dollar, I think.No--two drinks of whiskey one cold night.But what I sold was no more myself than--than the coat I'd pawned and drunk up before I did it."The plain calm way in which she said this made it so terrible that he winced and turned away."We have seen hell--haven't we?" he muttered.He turned toward her with genuine passion of feeling."Susan," he cried, "don't be a fool.Let's push our luck, now that things are coming our way.We need each other--we want to stay together--don't we?""__I__ want to stay.I'm happy."
"Then--let's put the record straight."
"Let's keep it straight," replied she earnestly."Don't ask me to go where I don't belong.For I can't, Freddie--honestly, I can't."A pause.Then, "You will!" said he, not in blustering fury, but in that cool and smiling malevolence which had made him the terror of his associates from his boyhood days among the petty thieves and pickpockets of Grand Street.He laid his hand gently on her shoulder."You hear me.I say you will."She looked straight at him."Not if you kill me," she said.
She rose to face him at his own height."I've bought my freedom with my body and with my heart and with my soul.It's all I've got.I shall keep it."He measured her strength with an expert eye.He knew that he was beaten.He laughed lightly and went into his dressing-room.
