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months of it。 But his first intuition had been right； and now
they must both pay for their madness。 The Fates seldom forget
the bargains made with them； or fail to ask for compound
interest。 Why not； then； now that the time had come； pay up
gallantly； and remember of the episode only what had made it
seem so supremely worth the cost？
He sent a pneumatic telegram to Mrs。 Nicholas Lansing to say
that he would call on her that afternoon at four。 〃That ought
to give us time；〃 he reflected drily； 〃to 'settle things；' as
she calls it； without interfering with Strefford's afternoon
visit。〃
XXVIII
HER husband's note had briefly said：
〃To…day at four o'clock。 N。L。〃
All day she pored over the words in an agony of longing； trying
to read into them regret； emotion； memories； some echo of the
tumult in her own bosom。 But she had signed 〃Susy；〃 and he
signed 〃N。L。〃 That seemed to put an abyss between them。 After
all； she was free and he was not。 Perhaps； in view of his
situation； she had only increased the distance between them by
her unconventional request for a meeting。
She sat in the little drawing…room； and the cast…bronze clock
ticked out the minutes。 She would not look out of the window：
it might bring bad luck to watch for him。 And it seemed to her
that a thousand invisible spirits； hidden demons of good and
evil； pressed about her； spying out her thoughts； counting her
heart…beats； ready to pounce upon the least symptom of over…
confidence and turn it deftly to derision。 Oh； for an altar on
which to pour out propitiatory offerings！ But what sweeter
could they have than her smothered heart…beats； her choked…back
tears？
The bell rang； and she stood up as if a spring had jerked her to
her feet。 In the mirror between the dried grasses her face
looked long pale inanimate。 Ah； if he should find her too
changed！ If there were but time to dash upstairs and put on a
touch of red 。。。。
The door opened； it shut on him； he was there。
He said： 〃You wanted to see me？〃
She answered： 〃Yes。〃 And her heart seemed to stop beating。
At first she could not make out what mysterious change had come
over him； and why it was that in looking at him she seemed to be
looking at a stranger； then she perceived that his voice sounded
as it used to sound when he was talking to other people； and she
said to herself； with a sick shiver of understanding； that she
had become an 〃other person〃 to him。
There was a deathly pause； then she faltered out； not knowing
what she said： 〃Nickyou'll sit down？〃
He said： 〃Thanks；〃 but did not seem to have heard her； for he
continued to stand motionless； half the room between them。 And
slowly the uselessness； the hopelessness of his being there
overcame her。 A wall of granite seemed to have built itself up
between them。 She felt as if it hid her from him； as if with
those remote new eyes of his he were staring into the wall and
not at her。 Suddenly she said to herself： 〃He's suffering more
than I am； because he pities me； and is afraid to tell me that
he is going to be married。〃
The thought stung her pride； and she lifted her head and met his
eyes with a smile。
〃Don't you think；〃 she said； 〃it's more sensible…with
everything so changed in our livesthat we should meet as
friends； in this way？ I wanted to tell you that you needn't
feelfeel in the least unhappy about me。〃
A deep flush rose to his forehead。 〃Oh； I knowI know that〃
he declared hastily； and added； with a factitious animation：
〃But thank you for telling me。〃
〃There's nothing； is there；〃 she continued； 〃to make our meeting
in this way in the least embarrassing or painful to either of
us； when both have found 。。。。〃 She broke off； and held her hand
out to him。 〃I've heard about you and Coral；〃 she ended。
He just touched her hand with cold fingers； and let it drop。
〃Thank you；〃 he said for the third time。
〃You won't sit down？〃
He sat down。
〃Don't you think；〃 she continued； 〃that the new way of 。。。 of
meeting as friends 。。。 and talking things over without ill…
will 。。。 is much pleasanter and more sensible； after all？〃
He smiled。 〃It's immensely kind of you to feel that。〃
〃Oh； I do feel it！〃 She stopped short； and wondered what on
earth she had meant to say next； and why she had so abruptly
lost the thread of her discourse。
In the pause she heard him cough slightly and clear his throat。
〃Let me say； then；〃 he began； 〃that I'm glad tooimmensely glad
that your own future is so satisfactorily settled。〃
She lifted her glance again to his walled face； in which not a
muscle stirred。
〃Yes： itit makes everything easier for you； doesn't it？〃
〃For you too； I hope。〃 He paused； and then went on： 〃I want
also to tell you that I perfectly understand〃
〃Oh；〃 she interrupted； 〃so do I； your point of view； I mean。〃
They were again silent。
〃Nick； why can't we be friends real friends？ Won't it be
easier？〃 she broke out at last with twitching lips。
〃Easier？〃
〃I mean； about talking things overarrangements。 There are
arrangements to be made； I suppose？〃
〃I suppose so。〃 He hesitated。 〃I'm doing what I'm told…simply
following out instructions。 The business is easy enough；
apparently。 I'm taking the necessary steps〃
She reddened a little； and drew a gasping breath。 〃The
necessary steps： what are they？ Everything the lawyers tell
one is so confusing 。。。。 I don't yet understandhow it's
done。〃
〃My share； you mean？ Oh； it's very simple。〃 He paused； and
added in a tone of laboured ease： 〃I'm going down to
Fontainebleau to…morrow〃
She stared； not understanding。 〃To Fontainebleau？〃
Her bewilderment drew from him his first frank smile。 〃Well
I chose FontainebleauI don't know why 。。。 except that we've
never been there together。〃
At that she suddenly understood； and the blood rushed to her
forehead。 She stood up without knowing what she was doing； her
heart in her throat。 〃How grotesquehow utterly disgusting！〃
He gave a slight shrug。 〃I didn't make the laws 。。。。〃
〃But isn't it too stupid and degrading that such things should
be necessary when two people want to part？〃 She broke off
again； silenced by the echo of that fatal 〃want to part。〃 。。。
He seemed to prefer not to dwell farther on the legal
obligations involved。
〃You haven't yet told me；〃 he suggested； 〃how you happen to be
living here。〃
〃Herewith the Fulmer children？〃 She roused herself； trying to
catch his easier note。 〃Oh； I've simply been governessing them
for a few weeks； while Nat and Grace are in Sicily。〃 She did
not say： 〃It's because I've parted with Strefford。〃 Somehow it
helped her wounded pride a little to keep from him the secret of
her precarious independence。
He looked his wonder。 〃All alone with that bewildered bonne？
But how many of the