Sooner or later, given enough whiskey, hard work, and women, he'd have been able to put Emma Chalmers out of his mind. Now everything had changed. He couldn't leave her to that fool of a hypocrite she planned to marry; if he did, the blue fire in her eyes would falter and die one day in the not too distant future. Outside
The protagonist reflects on how time and indulgence could have allowed him to forget Emma Chalmers. However, circumstances have shifted dramatically, making it impossible for him to step away from her. He is deeply troubled by the thought of her marrying someone he deems unworthy, a "fool of a hypocrite." This realization fuels his determination to intervene in her life.
He fears that if he walks away, the vibrant spirit and...
