It is a purely formal document, full of
legal technicalities, and all that sort of thing. Come! come!
sign your name, and let us have done as soon as possible."
"I ought surely to know what I am signing, Sir Percival, before I
write my name?"
"Nonsense! What have women to do with business? I tell you again,
you can't understand it."
"At any rate, let me try to understand it. Whenever Mr. Gilmore
had any business for me to do, he always explained it first, and I
always understood him."
"I dare say he did. He was your servant, and was obliged to
explain. I am your husband, and am NOT obliged. How much longer
do you mean to keep me here? I tell you again, there is no time
for reading anything--the dog-cart is waiting at the door. Once
for all, will you sign or will you not?"
She still had the pen in her hand, but she made no approach to
signing her name with it.
"If my signature pledges me to anything," she said, "surely I have
some claim to know what that pledge is?"
He lifted up the parchment, and struck it angrily on the table.
"Speak out!" he said. "You were always famous for telling the
truth. Never mind Miss Halcombe, never mind Fosco--say, in plain
terms, you distrust me.
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