Christina rose, pale and staring, too, but beautiful in her wonder and alarm.

"My dear Roderick," said Rowland, "I am only preventing you from doing a very foolish thing.

That 's an exploit for spiders, not for young sculptors of promise." Roderick wiped his forehead, looked back at the wall, and then closed his eyes, as if with a spasm, of retarded dizziness.

"I won't resist you," he said.

"But I have made you obey," he added, turning to Christina.