scene which would follow and pulled himself together to meet her.

She came in calm, smiling, triumphant, but more beautiful than he had
ever seen her before. A sombre fire burnt in her eyes, and he, who had
expected that she would meet him with blushes and down-cast eyes, was
crushed. She was the triumphant seducer, and he the bashful victim.

The words he had meant to say refused to come. Disarmed and humble he
went to meet her and kissed her hand.

She talked as usual without the slightest indication that a new factor
had entered her life.

He went to the House, fuming, with her bill in his pocket, and only
the vision of the bliss in store for him, calmed his excited nerves.

But when, in the evening, he knocked quite boldly at her door, it
remained closed.

It remained closed for three weeks. He cringed before her like a dog,
obeyed every hint, fulfilled all her wishes--it was all in vain.

Then his indignation got the better of him and he overwhelmed her with
a flood of angry words. She answered him sharply. But when she
realised that she had gone too far, that his chain was wearing thin,
she gave herself to him.

And he wore his chain. He bit it, strained every nerve to break it,
but it held.