“I don’t understand,” she answered rather piteously.  “I am only thankful that you are not hurt.”

“That’s good of you,” he said, and she heard no irony in his voice.  He leaned his arms upon the rail beside her, and stared down in silence for several moments into the dark water.  “If this had happened a week—­less than a week—­ago,” he said at length, speaking very quietly, “I would have let the fellow knife me with the utmost pleasure.  I should even have been grateful to him.  And”—­he turned very slightly towards her—­“you would have had cause for gratitude too, for Luke would have been with you to-day.”

She shrank a little at his words.  “I don’t understand,” she said again.

He stood up and faced her with abrupt resolution.  “I am going to make you understand,” he said, “once and for all.  It’s a rather hideous recital, but you had better hear it.  I will condense it as much as possible.  I’ve been an evil brute all my life, but I guess you know that already.  The first time I saw you I wanted to ruin you.  I never meant to fall in love with you.  I kicked against it—­kicked hard.  Good women always exasperated me.  But I wanted a new sensation, and, by heaven, I got it!” He paused a moment, and she saw his grim features relax very slightly.  “I was caught in my own net,” he said.  “I believe there is magic in you.  You captured me anyway.  I did homage to you—­in spite of myself.  After that night the relish went out of everything for me.  I wanted only you.”

Again he paused, but she said nothing.  She was listening with her steadfast eyes upon him.

“But you kept me at a distance,” he said, “and I couldn’t help myself.  That was the maddening part of it.  Lucas knew even then—­or suspected.  But he didn’t interfere.  He saw you were taming me.  And so you were—­so you were.  But that thrashing upset everything.  It drove me mad.  I was crazy for revenge.  Lucas made me go away, but I couldn’t stay.  I was like a man possessed.  My hatred for your husband had swamped my love for you.  You have got to know it, Anne; I am like that.  I wanted to wreak my vengeance on him through you, because I knew—­by then—­that I had somehow reached your heart.  And so I came to you—­I saw you—­and then I couldn’t do it.  Your love—­I suppose I may call it that?—­barred the way.  It was your safeguard.  You trusted me, and for that I wanted to fall down and worship you.  But you sent me away—­I had to go.  You made a man of me.  I lived a clean life because of you.  I was your slave.  I believe I should have remained so if your husband had died then.  But the knowledge that he was coming back to you was too much for me.  I couldn’t stand that.  I broke free.”

He stopped suddenly and brought his clenched fist down upon the rail as if physical pain were a relief to his soul.