Dick looked round vaguely, astonished at the authoritative way the question was put, but without inquiring he answered:
'That's what I want to know. I never saw anything like it in my life. We were speaking of being married, when suddenly Kate accused me of insulting her religion, and then--well, I don't remember any more. She fell into such a passion--you saw it yourself.'
'No, on the contrary. I can't make it out. For the last month her caprices, fancies, and jealousies have been something awful!'
Montgomery made a movement as if he were going to reply, but checking himself, he remained silent. His face then assumed the settled appearance of one who is inwardly examining the different sides of a complex question. At last he said:
'Let's come out for a walk, Dick, and we'll talk the matter over.'
'It's the best thing you can do. Leave her to have her cry out,' and adopting the suggestion, Dick picked up his hat, and without further words the men went out of the house, walking slowly arm in arm.
'I cannot understand what is the matter with Kate. When I knew her first she hadn't a bad temper.'
To this Montgomery made no answer. He was thinking.
After a pause Dick continued, as if speaking to himself:
'And the way she does badger me with her confounded jealousies; I'm afraid now to tell a girl to move up higher on the stage. There are explanations about everything, and I can't think what it's all about. She has everything she requires. She hasn't been a year on the stage, and she's playing leading parts, and scoring successes too.'
'Perhaps she has reasons you don't know of.'
'Reasons I don't know of? What do you mean?'
'Well, you haven't told me yet what the row was about.'
'Tell you! That's just what I want to know myself.'
'What were you speaking about when it began?' asked Montgomery, who was still feeling his way.
'What did I say? I really don't remember; the row has put it all out of my head. Let me think. I was saying--I mean she was asking me when we should be married.'
'And what did you say to that? Did you fix a day?'
'Fix a day!' said Dick, looking in astonishment at his friend. 'How could I fix a day?'
'I think if I loved a woman and she loved me I could manage somehow to fix a day.'