beunpardonable
.
'
'
Do
you
think
,
then
,
that
Roland
Ferrier
has
done
anything
unpardonable
?
'
She
had
felt
intensely
annoyed
at
the
turn
the
conversation
had
taken
,
but
since
it
had
taken
this
turn
,
she
was
determined
to
learn
as
much
from
it
as
possible
.
'
I
do
n't
think
he
has
done
anything
the
world
would
not
pardon
,
and
we
must
remember
that
the
greater
part
of
the
fault
lies
in
his
bringing
up
.
'
He
said
this
with
a
delicate
air
of
chivalrously
making
the
best
of
a
bad
cause
.
'
If
the
world
pardons
the
unpardonable
,
'
said
Clare
,
feeling
that
she
was
skating
on
very
thin
ice
,
and
not
quite
knowing
how
to
get
back
to
the
bank
again
,
'
so
much
the
worse
for
the
world
.
'
'
I
knew
you
would
say
that
.
'
'
And
,
'
she
went
on
,
forgetting
how
little
she
had
told
her
companion
,
'
if
I
could
only
be
sure
that
all
Richard
said
was
true
,
I
would
accept
no
one
's
ruling
but
my
own
on
such
a
question
.
'
Litvinoff
's
eyes
gave
one
little
flash
at
the
admission
contained
in
this
speech
,
but
he
said
quite
quietly
,
—
'
Well
,
no
one
can
possibly
know
.
I
presume
he
must
at
least
believe
it
.
'
'
Yes
,
he
certainly
does
.
This
quarrel
,
as
you
perhaps
know
,
means
ruin
to
them
both
.
'
'
Ruin
!
'
he
cried
;
'
then
it
must
not
go
on
.
'
'
You
are
very
good
to
take
such
an
interest
in
the
Ferriers
.
'
'
Ah
,
'
he
said
sadly
,
'
I
have
known
ruin
,
and
it
is
hard
if
the
innocent
one
suffers
with
the
guilty
.
'
He
looked
about
as
little
like
a
ruined
man
as
it
was
possible
to
be
.
His
dress
was
perfect
,
though
it
had
a
certain
foreign
air
that
was
not
to
be
traced
to
that
too
great
prominence
of
shirt
collar
and
prodigality
of
cuff
,
that
shininess
of
hat
and
boot
,
that
exuberant
floridity
of
necktie
,
which
are
the
signet
of
the
flâneur
of
the
boulevards
.
Above
all
,
his
nails
were
unexceptionable
.
'
Their
father
left
it
in
his
will
,
'
said
Miss
Stanley
,
bluntly
,
glad
to
get
away
from
the
subject
of
Roland
's
possible
lâches
,
'
that
if
they
quarrelled
they
lost
all
their
money
.
'
'
They
were
ever
given
to
quarrelling
,
then
?
'
asked
Litvinoff
.
'
No
,
I
do
n't
think
so
;
but
Mr
Ferrier
was
old
and
very
funny
.
'
'
He
seems
to
have
been
prophetic
in
this
instance
;
or
perhaps
he
knew
what
they
were
likely
to
quarrel
about
.
'
Clare
stroked
her
muff
with
her
kid-gloved
hand
,
and
wondered
whether
the
late
Mr
Ferrier
had
thought
they
were
likely
to
quarrel
about
her
.
'
This
affair
of
the
unfortunate
girl
Alice
Hatfield
—
'
he
was
beginning
,
when
Clare
rose
.
'
It
is
quite
time
I
went
back
,
'
she
said
chillingly
,
and
she
turned
and
walked
out
.
He
followed
her
humbly
.
When
they
had
passed
down
the
steps
he
said
,
—
'
I
have
offended
you
,
but
you
must
forgive
me
.
I
am
ignorant
of
English
customs
.
You
had
talked
to
me
of
the
misdeed
,
and
it
did
not
seem
to
be
wrong
to
name
the
victim
.
I
ought
to
have
recognised
the
gulf
which
separates
the
personal
from
the
impersonal
.
'
There
was
a
suspicion
of
irony
in
his
voice
,
and
she
did
not
answer
,
only
quickened
her
pace
a
little
.
'
Forgive
me
,
'
he
said
,
in
a
tone
low
,
and
one
more
earnest
than
any
she
had
yet
heard
him
use
.
'
You
must
forgive
me
.
I
would
not
offend
you
for
all
the
world
,
not
to
gain
every
end
I
have
ever
fought
for
,
to
realise
every
hope
I
have
ever
cherished
.
'
She
turned
and
looked
right
into
his
eyes
,
and
in
them
read
nothing
but
perfect
honesty
and
sincerity
.
'
I
have
nothing
whatever
to
forgive
,
Count
Litvinoff
,
'
she
said
.
'
Pray
,
let
us
change
the
subject
;
'
but
all
the
ice
was
gone
from
her
voice
,
and
he
at
once
plunged
into
a
diatribe
against
the
carelessness
of
omnibus
drivers
.
He
said
good-bye
to
her
outside
the
hotel
.
At
the
top
of
the
steps
she
turned
and
looked
after
him
,
and
was
not
a
little
vexed
with
herself
for
having
done
so
,
for
he
was
looking
after
her
with
an
expression
in
his
eyes
which
said
,
to
her
at
least
,
—
'
Whatever
the
ends
I
have
fought
for
,
or
the
hopes
I
have
cherished
,
may
have
been
in
the
past
,
the
object
of
my
every
dream
and
aspiration
is
now
yourself
,
Clare
Stanley
.
'
A
FAIR
MORNING
'S
WORK
.
PETROVITCH
waited
at
the
corner
for
some
moments
,
but
as
his
protégée
did
not
return
,
he
concluded
that
she
had
found
the
house
door
open
,
and
would
be
all
right
,
so
he
turned
his
face
west
.
The
new
feeling
that
had
possessed
him
at
the
sound
of
Alice
's
surname
had
,
while
he
waited
,
only
shown
itself
in
a
restless
movement
of
his
hand
over
his
beard
;
but
now
it
found
vent
in
the
swinging
pace
at
which
he
walked
.
He
slackened
it
now
and
again
,
to
glance
with
a
frown
at
the
heaps
of
dirty
rags
that
filled
the
corners
of
doorways
and
the
embrasures
of
walls
,
and
hid
human
flesh
and
blood
:
the
flesh
and
blood
of
your
brothers
and
sisters
,
my
esteemed
Royal
Commissioners
.
These
door-steps
and
archways
and
out-of-the-way
corners
are
not
,
of
course
,
to
be
included
in
an
investigation
into
the
homes
of
the
poor
;
but
perhaps
they
might
be
if
these
royal
,
noble
,
and
eminent
brothers
realised
that
these
are
the
only
homes
of
a
large
proportion
of
the
poor
.
Petrovitch
only
stopped
once
,
and
that
was
before
a
door-step
on
which
something
gleamed
brightly
,
and
caught
his
attention
.
There
was
a
group
there
of
the
usual
type
—
a
man
and
woman
,
and
a
child
,
a
little
girl
,
from
whose
eyes
the
gleam
came
.
She
was
sitting
up
,
her
elbow
on
her
knee
and
her
chin
on
her
hand
;
a
wizened
,
stunted
child
of
some
eight
or
nine
years
,
with
tangled
dark
hair
that
fell
over
her
face
,
and
through
which
her
eyes
were
staring
wide
and
vacant
at
the
clear
sky
.
As
he
stopped
she
transferred
the
gaze
to
him
,
but
it
was
still
a
gaze
void
of
hope
and
expectation
.
He
did
not
speak
to
her
,
but
patted
her
shoulder
,
dropped
some
coppers
and
a
bar
of
chocolate
in
her
lap
,
and
hurried
on
,
with
a
muttered
curse
which
the
child
did
not
hear
.
He
stopped
no
more
till
he
reached
a
tall
house
in
a
quiet
street
near
Portland
Road
Station
.
He
let
himself
in
with
a
key
,
and
softly
mounted
the
stairs
to
the
second
floor
.
The
room
he
entered
was
large
,
and
looked
bare
until
one
noticed
the
shelves
on
shelves
of
well-bound
,
well-kept
books
,
the
pigeon-holes
full
of
manuscripts
,
the
brackets
supporting
good
busts
and
statuettes
,
the
one
or
two
choice
prints
,
the
antique
writing-table
and
chairs
.
There
were
no
curtains
to
the
window
,
and
there
was
no
carpet
to
the
floor
;
but
there
was
a
reading-lamp
of
uncommon
design
,
with
a
green
shade
.
It
was
the
luxury
of
literary
asceticism
.
Petrovitch
turned
up
the
lamp
and
rekindled
his
fire
.
Then
he
went
into
the
adjoining
room
,
from
which
presently
came
the
sound
of
splashing
water
,
followed
by
hard
breathing
,
as
of
one
wrestling
with
a
rough
towel
.
It
was
a
ghastly
hour
for
tubbing
,
and
many
an
Englishman
who
plumes
himself
on
taking
a
bath
at
eight
or
nine
in
the
morning
would
have
shuddered
at
the
idea
of
thus
taking
one
four
or
five
hours
earlier
;
but
it
seemed
to
agree
with
Petrovitch
,
for
he
came
back
to
the
fireside
glowing
,
and
seeming
to
have
washed
from
his
face
the
look
of
mingled
weariness
and
anger
which
he
had
brought
in
with
him
.
His
hand
hovered
a
moment
along
the
line
of
a
certain
bookshelf
,
then
he
picked
out
a
book
,
and
for
the
next
three
hours
read
steadily
,
only
pausing
to
make
notes
.
At
seven
o'clock
he
shut
his
book
gently
,
replaced
it
carefully
on
its
shelf
,
very
deftly
and
quickly
prepared
his
breakfast
,
and
,
having
eaten
it
,
put
on
his
hat
and
a
black
coat
and
went
out
again
.
Now
,
for
the
first
time
,
he
thought
over
his
night
's
adventures
,
for
during
the
time
he
had
spent
in
his
room
he
had
not
allowed
himself
to
think
of
them
.
He
had
the
capacity
of
dismissing
utterly
from
his
mind
anything
about
which
he
did
not
want
to
think
.
It
was
time
enough
to
think
when
he
could
act
,
and
he
had
known
that
he
could
not
act
till
the
morning
.
Now
,
two
minutes
'
thought
decided
the
course
his
action
should
take
.
By
half-past
eight
o'clock
he
had
knocked
at
the
door
of
15
Spray
's
Buildings
,
and
had
been
directed
to
the
room
of
Mrs
Fludger
.
That
lady
was
surrounded
by
the
family
linen
—
some
just
as
it
had
been
discarded
by
the
family
,
some
in
the
wash-tub
,
and
some
hanging
on
lines
slung
across
the
room
at
a
convenient
height
for
dabbing
itself
wetly
in
the
faces
of
possible
visitors
.
The
room
appeared
to
be
furnished
chastely
and
simply
with
the
tub
and
lines
before
mentioned
,
and
nothing
else
whatever
;
for
the
remainder
of
the
furniture
had
been
heaped
in
one
corner
,
in
order
that
the
washing
might
not
be
impeded
,
and
was
not
noticeable
at
the
first
glance
.
Mrs
Fludger
had
her
arms
bared
for
toil
.
She
wore
a
dress
with
no
appreciable
waist
and
no
distinctive
colour
.
A
woollen
shawl
wound
her
figure
in
its
embrace
,
a
black
bonnet
of
no
particular
shape
,
and
of
antique
appearance
,
was
on
the
extreme
back
of
her
head
,
where
it
was
supported
,
by
no
visible
agency
,
in
defiance
of
the
laws
of
gravitation
.
'
Now
then
,
my
good
man
,
'
she
began
,
in
answer
to
Petrovitch
's
tap
at
the
open
door
,
'
we
do
n't
want
no
Scripture
reading
here
.
Thank
the
Lord
,
I
knows
my
Bible
duty
,
and
does
it
,
which
was
n't
I
up
this
very
morning
afore
five
,
which
is
more
than
you
can
say
,
I
'll
go
bail
.
There
's
some
needs
talking
to
.
Why
do
n't
you
go
after
my
master
an
'
teach
him
the
ten
commanders
if
you
wants
to
Bible
read
?
'
'
But
I
do
n't
want
to
Bible
read
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
as
she
ended
with
a
snap
of
her
teeth
,
and
recommenced
the
action
of
'
soaping
in
,
'
which
her
vigorous
speech
had
suspended
.
'
I
only
wish
to
ask
you
of
a
Mrs
Litvinoff
?
'
'
Do
n't
know
the
name
.
'
'
Perhaps
I
mistake
the
name
;
I
ask
of
the
young
woman
who
left
here
yesterday
morning
.
'
'
Oh
,
her
!
'
with
contemptuous
emphasis
;
'
bless
you
,
her
name
ai
n't
nothing
like
that
;
no
more
nor
yours
nor
mine
.
Her
name
's
Hatfield
;
and
she
ai
n't
a
missus
neither
,
without
she
was
married
yesterday
.
'
'
I
hope
she
did
no
wrong
here
,
that
you
are
not
angry
with
her
,
'
said
he
,
as
though
feeling
Mrs
Fludger
's
displeasure
to
be
the
severest
punishment
of
misdoing
.
'
No
,
'
said
Mrs
Fludger
,
a
little
softened
,
'
I
'm
not
angry
with
her
;
but
will
you
jest
be
good
enough
to
say
what
you
want
and
have
done
with
it
,
as
my
washing
's
all
behind
as
it
is
?
'
'
I
have
a
quite
special
reason
,
'
he
said
,
'
for
wishing
to
befriend
her
.
I
am
sure
you
will
be
willing
to
help
me
to
give
her
help
by
telling
me
all
you
know
about
her
.
'
'
Oh
,
Lord
bless
the
men
!
'
said
Mrs
Fludger
,
with
an
impatient
intonation
,
dipping
a
blue-bag
into
a
pail
,
'
I
do
n't
know
nothing
about
the
gal
.
She
was
here
two
months
or
more
,
and
not
a
soul
ever
come
a-nigh
her
,
and
now
,
afore
she
's
been
gone
two
days
,
here
's
half
a
dozen
gentlemen
comes
after
her
.
You
ought
to
be
able
to
do
something
'
andsome
for
her
among
you
all
.
Why
,
only
yesterday
two
young
swells
was
a'most
a-comin
'
to
blows
over
her
outside
this
very
door
,
a-makin
'
a
perfick
inharmonium
o
'
my
stairs
,
to
say
nothing
o
'
the
gent
as
went
a-makin
'
inquiries
o
'
the
ground-floor
front
,
as
was
quite
the
improper
person
to
imply
to
,
not
being
responsible
,
and
knowin
'
nothing
about
the
lodgers
.
'
'
I
am
exceedingly
sorry
to
give
you
any
further
trouble
,
madam
,
but
,
as
I
know
you
are
the
only
person
who
can
inform
me
,
I
must
ask
you
why
this
young
woman
left
.
'
He
spoke
so
gravely
that
Mrs
Fludger
seemed
impressed
.
She
lowered
her
voice
a
little
as
she
answered
,
—
'
She
heard
something
as
was
n't
to
her
liking
.
'
'
Not
from
you
,
I
am
sure
.
'
'
Well
,
no
;
it
war
n't
from
me
,
though
I
should
have
told
her
fast
enough
if
I
had
known
myself
,
and
,
since
you
must
know
the
ins
and
outs
of
it
,
she
was
taken
bad
on
Sunday
night
,
and
my
Joe
went
for
the
doctor
,
and
if
you
're
curious
you
'd
better
ask
him
,
for
he
's
more
time
for
jaw
than
me
,
not
having
got
nine
children
and
a
husband
as
is
always
in
liquor
.
'
Petrovitch
thanked
her
,
and
asked
the
address
of
the
lucky
doctor
whom
Fate
had
spared
these
inflictions
.
Mrs
Fludger
gave
it
,
squeezing
the
soapsuds
off
her
lean
arms
as
she
spoke
.
'
Thank
you
very
much
,
'
he
said
;
'
good-bye
,
'
and
held
out
his
hand
as
though
he
had
known
her
for
years
.
This
was
partly
because
he
thought
it
was
the
English
thing
to
do
in
parting
with
one
's
equals
,
and
partly
because
he
went
enough
among
poor
people
to
know
that
their
troubles
are
not
made
lighter
by
an
assumption
of
superiority
on
the
part
of
their
visitors
.
It
was
a
matter
of
course
with
him
,
but
Mrs
Fludger
was
particularly
gratified
.
She
gave
him
her
damp
hand
,
and
returned
his
shake
with
heartiness
.
'
Well
,
now
,
'
she
said
,
'
if
I
've
been
a
bit
short
,
you
must
set
it
down
to
the
washin
'
,
and
I
could
n't
get
it
out
o
'
my
head
that
you
was
one
of
the
religious
sort
.
And
I
hope
the
young
woman
wo
n't
come
to
no
hurt
,
and
I
will
say
as
you
look
more
the
sort
to
do
her
good
than
them
young
sparks
as
come
here
yesterday
,
with
their
cussin
'
,
and
swearin
'
,
and
yellow
kid
gloves
.
'
An
opinion
in
which
her
hearer
concurred
.
Dr
Moore
was
not
surprised
at
the
inquiries
with
which
Petrovitch
called
upon
him
ten
minutes
later
.
He
had
sojourned
long
enough
in
the
land
of
the
hard-up
,
and
had
seen
enough
of
the
seamy
side
of
life
,
to
have
left
off
being
surprised
at
the
many
threads
and
ties
which
bind
together
people
whom
one
would
imagine
to
be
the
very
last
to
have
any
concern
in
each
other
's
existences
.
But
before
he
answered
any
of
the
questions
,
he
said
,
—
'
Excuse
me
;
but
may
I
ask
what
interest
you
have
in
this
poor
girl
?
Are
you
a
City
missionary
?
'
The
other
smiled
grimly
.
'
Not
I
;
but
there
must
be
something
very
devout
in
my
appearance
.
Evidently
extremes
meet
in
me
.
I
encountered
a
hostile
reception
at
Spray
's
Buildings
through
being
taken
for
a
Bible-reader
.
'
'
Ah
,
well
,
I
ca
n't
wonder
;
they
do
make
themselves
disliked
.
They
're
very
good
people
,
but
they
have
n't
a
nice
way
with
them
,
somehow
,
have
they
?
Then
,
what
is
your
motive
for
these
questions
?
'
For
answer
the
other
told
him
frankly
enough
all
that
had
passed
the
night
before
,
adding
that
before
he
made
any
effort
on
her
behalf
he
wished
to
verify
her
story
as
far
as
possible
.
'
But
the
landlady
told
me
she
had
gone
home
to
her
people
.
'
'
Ah
,
that
was
Mrs
Fludger
's
little
romance
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
shrugging
his
shoulders
.
'
I
wish
she
had
gone
to
her
people
,
poor
child
;
but
I
am
afraid
that
is
what
she
will
not
do
.
'
'
I
am
very
glad
,
'
said
Dr
Moore
,
'
that
someone
does
take
an
interest
in
her
,
but
I
must
say
I
wish
it
was
a
woman
instead
of
a
man
,
for
it
is
a
woman
's
care
and
kindness
she
will
need
by-and-by
.
'
'
So
I
imagined
,
'
said
Petrovitch
thoughtfully
,
'
and
I
suppose
the
best
I
can
do
towards
her
is
to
try
and
find
for
her
such
care
and
kindness
.
'
'
I
am
afraid
it
will
be
difficult
;
women
are
angels
,
certainly
,
but
they
are
very
apt
to
be
hard
on
each
other
.
'
'
Very
much
like
the
rest
of
us
.
But
,
like
the
rest
of
us
,
they
can
sometimes
be
got
to
hear
reason
.
'
'
That
's
not
the
general
opinion
of
women
,
'
said
Dr
Moore
,
laughing
;
'
but
I
hope
you
're
right
.
I
have
seen
a
great
many
of
these
sad
cases
,
'
he
went
on
,
gravely
,
'
but
very
,
very
few
of
the
others
.
We
're
all
much
too
ready
to
cast
stones
,
and
it
's
two
to
one
if
a
girl
's
in
trouble
that
a
female
priest
or
Levite
comes
by
,
and
not
a
good
Samaritan
.
'
The
doctor
was
pleased
with
his
visitor
,
whose
face
and
figure
were
not
quite
like
those
that
usually
faced
him
in
his
drug-scented
surgery
,
and
when
the
interview
ended
it
was
he
who
offered
the
hand-shake
.
As
Petrovitch
came
out
of
the
door
he
glanced
at
his
watch
.
'
Now
for
a
third
interview
,
'
he
thought
,
and
he
did
not
think
in
English
.
'
Only
two
hours
and
a-half
in
which
to
work
a
miracle
.
'
If
this
man
had
no
connection
with
the
Bible
reading
and
City
missionary
fraternity
,
he
had
at
least
one
thing
to
which
they
lay
claim
—
the
faith
which
moves
mountains
;
but
it
was
faith
in
humanity
,
and
faith
in
himself
.
He
only
knew
one
woman
who
combined
the
strength
of
character
and
the
kindness
of
heart
necessary
for
his
purpose
,
and
of
her
it
had
been
said
only
the
night
before
,
by
the
one
who
ought
to
have
known
her
best
,
that
she
had
a
sharp
tongue
.
Mr
Toomey
had
not
adhered
strictly
to
truth
in
telling
Alice
that
he
lived
up
in
the
direction
of
Gray
's
Inn
Road
,
vaguely
.
His
household
gods
were
enshrined
'
out
Bermondsey
way
,
'
and
thither
Petrovitch
now
betook
himself
.
Mrs
Toomey
welcomed
him
in
an
off-hand
manner
,
which
showed
that
she
at
least
did
not
suspect
him
of
being
a
Bible-reader
.
She
asked
him
in
,
and
he
passed
up
the
narrow
passage
where
two
Toomeys
of
tender
years
were
playing
at
houses
with
a
profusion
of
oyster-shells
.
A
third
of
still
smaller
size
was
in
the
mother
's
arms
.
'
Toomey
's
a-bed
,
'
she
said
,
as
she
set
a
chair
for
Petrovitch
,
'
and
I
wonder
you
're
not
.
He
told
me
he
saw
you
on
the
bridge
in
the
beginning
of
the
morning
.
What
have
you
done
with
that
poor
thing
?
'
'
Nothing
yet
.
'
'
What
are
you
going
to
do
?
'
'
That
's
just
what
I
want
you
to
tell
me
,
'
he
answered
,
and
forthwith
began
gently
to
unfold
his
plan
,
which
was
neither
more
nor
less
than
that
Mrs
Toomey
should
let
Alice
rent
her
spare
room
,
and
should
be
as
kind
to
her
as
possible
.
But
Mrs
Toomey
,
as
might
have
been
expected
,
did
n't
see
it
at
all
.
She
had
much
the
feeling
of
the
elder
brother
of
the
Prodigal
—
that
it
was
hardly
fair
to
those
who
had
done
their
duty
thus
to
help
out
of
their
difficulties
those
who
had
not
.
'
This
is
the
great
privilege
of
those
who
do
their
duty
,
'
said
he
,
'
to
be
able
to
help
those
who
have
not
done
it
.
'
'
That
's
all
very
well
,
'
said
Mrs
Toomey
;
'
but
what
's
to
become
of
example
if
the
good
and
the
bad
gets
treated
alike
?
'
'
It
is
n't
that
;
what
I
want
is
to
give
the
bad
—
who
is
not
so
very
bad
in
this
case
—
a
chance
of
being
better
.
'
But
she
was
not
silenced
.
She
ran
over
the
whole
scale
of
objections
,
moral
and
conventional
,
to
his
proposition
,
and
to
each
and
all
of
them
he
found
an
answer
,
and
sat
there
quietly
persistent
,
until
at
last
he
drove
her
back
upon
'
What
will
people
say
?
'
'
As
far
as
I
'm
concerned
they
can
say
what
they
like
,
but
if
you
care
about
people
's
opinion
,
it
is
easy
to
guard
your
self
against
it
by
telling
them
nothing
.
No
one
would
know
more
than
you
chose
to
tell
them
.
'
'
That
's
honest
,
is
n't
it
?
'
asked
Mrs
Toomey
,
patting
the
baby
,
who
was
choking
himself
with
his
fist
.
'
Well
,
honesty
does
n't
consist
in
publishing
other
people
's
affairs
to
all
your
neighbourhood
.
And
,
my
good
Mrs
Toomey
,
do
n't
you
see
that
the
very
fact
of
her
being
in
your
house
would
stop
questions
?
'
'
I
'm
no
hand
at
arguing
,
'
said
Mrs
Toomey
at
last
,
'
but
I
know
you
've
some
sense
,
sir
,
and
I
do
n't
think
you
'd
press
a
thing
like
this
without
there
was
some
rhyme
or
reason
in
it
;
but
the
most
I
can
say
is
,
me
and
Toomey
'll
talk
it
over
;
but
the
truth
is
,
I
've
never
had
nothing
to
say
to
that
sort
o
'
girls
,
and
I
do
n't
like
to
begin
at
this
time
o
'
day
.
And
even
if
my
man
agrees
,
I
wo
n't
promise
about
it
until
I
've
seen
the
young
woman
,
for
what
's
the
good
of
Providence
giving
us
common
sense
if
we
're
not
to
put
it
to
use
,
instead
of
trusting
to
hearsay
and
other
people
.
'
'
Quite
right
;
that
's
a
first-rate
principle
.
If
all
the
world
would
think
like
that
we
should
see
some
changes
.
I
will
tell
her
you
have
a
room
to
let
,
and
advise
her
to
apply
for
it
,
and
then
you
can
see
her
and
act
as
you
choose
.
But
I
feel
sure
beforehand
how
it
will
be
.
'
And
as
he
bade
her
good-bye
he
did
feel
quite
sure
that
he
had
not
spent
that
half-hour
in
vain
.
'
I
really
feel
like
a
City
missionary
,
or
a
newspaper
correspondent
,
after
all
these
interviews
.
Now
for
the
last
and
most
interesting
.
'
But
when
he
reached
Mrs
Litvinoff
's
room
he
found
her
out
.
There
was
no
answer
to
his
repeated
knocks
,
so
at
last
,
as
the
key
was
in
the
door
,
he
opened
it
,
almost
fearing
to
find
her
in
another
of
those
fainting
fits
.
But
the
room
was
empty
.
He
hesitated
a
moment
,
and
then
entered
.
It
wanted
a
few
minutes
to
noon
;
he
would
wait
till
the
appointed
time
,
and
while
he
waited
he
wondered
,
as
he
had
been
wondering
all
the
morning
,
why
she
had
taken
this
name
of
Litvinoff
.
Was
it
simply
because
Litvinoff
had
been
the
first
name
that
had
come
into
her
head
,
or
for
some
deeper
or
more
important
reason
?
The
room
was
very
neat
,
and
did
not
offer
much
entertainment
to
the
eye
or
employment
to
the
mind
;
but
there
were
four
or
five
books
on
the
mantelpiece
,
and
he
was
drawn
towards
them
by
a
natural
attraction
.
It
was
one
of
his
habits
always
to
take
up
a
book
,
if
one
was
within
reach
.
They
were
very
nicely
bound
,
he
noticed
,
except
two
small
volumes
at
the
end
of
the
row
,
in
which
he
smiled
rather
sadly
to
recognise
a
Bible
and
Prayer
Book
.
He
ran
over
the
titles
—
one
or
two
novels
,
'
The
Children
's
Garland
,
'
'
Mrs
Hemans
,
'
and
,
strange
accompaniment
,
Swinburne
's
'
Songs
before
Sunrise
.
'
He
took
it
out
and
opened
it
.
On
the
first
page
was
written
,
'
To
Alice
,
from
Litvinoff
.
'
He
stood
looking
at
it
fixedly
—
so
absorbed
that
he
did
not
hear
Alice
's
foot
on
the
stairs
,
nor
notice
the
rustle
of
her
dress
in
the
room
,
till
she
said
,
—
'
Have
you
been
here
long
?
I
am
so
sorry
I
had
to
run
out
for
some
thread
for
my
work
.
I
thought
I
should
have
been
back
before
.
'
She
was
a
little
out
of
breath
with
running
upstairs
,
and
a
little
flushed
,
too
.
He
now
saw
that
she
was
prettier
than
he
had
thought
,
but
he
also
saw
more
plainly
the
hollows
in
her
cheeks
and
the
dark
circles
round
her
eyes
.
'
I
must
make
a
confession
,
'
he
began
at
once
,
turning
to
her
with
the
book
in
his
hand
.
'
I
have
asked
myself
,
was
it
chance
made
you
take
this
name
of
Litvinoff
?
But
I
see
now
you
have
a
right
to
it
.
'
She
turned
her
head
and
looked
towards
the
window
in
silence
for
a
moment
.
Then
she
said
,
—
'
I
do
not
know
that
I
have
a
right
to
any
name
except
the
one
I
was
born
to
;
but
if
I
have
a
right
to
any
it
is
to
the
one
written
there
.
'
It
was
said
slowly
and
with
evident
effort
.
She
threw
her
bonnet
on
the
table
,
leaned
her
elbows
on
the
window-ledge
,
and
looked
out
.
'
Wo
n't
you
sit
down
?
'
she
asked
,
after
a
minute
,
without
looking
round
.
He
took
a
chair
,
and
said
,
'
Then
it
was
n't
only
for
the
lecture
you
went
to
Soho
?
'
'
No
.
'
'
See
here
,
Mrs
Litvinoff
;
I
know
the
Count
,
and
I
and
others
are
much
interested
in
his
career
.
I
wish
you
to
believe
that
I
would
not
ask
you
questions
from
idle
curiosity
.
His
own
welfare
depends
to
a
great
extent
on
what
we
may
hear
of
him
.
'
'
I
have
nothing
but
good
to
tell
you
of
him
.
'
'
But
,
madam
—
forgive
me
—
how
about
last
night
?
He
has
deserted
you
?
'
'
No
,
'
said
she
,
steadily
;
'
do
n't
make
any
mistake
.
I
left
him
.
He
was
never
anything
but
good
to
me
.
'
'
You
are
not
married
to
him
?
'
'
Do
n't
ask
me
any
more
questions
,
'
said
Alice
.
'
I
ca
n't
tell
you
anything
.
'
'
Mrs
Litvinoff
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
very
gently
and
very
gravely
,
'
I
beg
you
for
his
sake
to
tell
me
all
you
can
of
him
.
You
know
the
sort
of
dangers
run
by
a
man
in
such
a
position
as
his
;
and
from
many
of
these
dangers
we
can
help
to
screen
him
.
I
am
a
friend
to
all
who
are
friends
of
Litvinoff
.
Think
of
me
not
as
a
man
and
a
stranger
,
but
as
the
friend
of
him
,
and
tell
me
frankly
all
there
is
to
tell
.
'
It
was
characteristic
of
the
man
who
spoke
that
he
should
be
able
to
make
an
appeal
which
would
move
this
girl
,
who
had
not
known
him
twenty-four
hours
,
to
tell
him
all
that
she
had
felt
it
to
be
impossible
to
tell
her
foster-brother
,
Richard
Ferrier
.
For
she
did
tell
him
.
The
substance
of
her
story
was
this
:
She
had
been
staying
with
an
aunt
who
kept
a
small
hotel
in
Liverpool
,
when
she
had
met
Litvinoff
,
and
had
seen
a
great
deal
of
him
.
He
had
seemed
to
her
to
be
different
from
all
the
other
men
she
had
ever
seen
,
and
though
she
could
not
help
being
pleased
by
his
admiration
,
she
had
felt
that
the
difference
in
their
station
was
such
that
she
could
not
properly
fill
the
position
of
his
wife
.
His
grave
and
respectful
manner
and
the
perfect
deference
with
which
he
always
treated
her
had
made
it
impossible
for
her
to
suppose
that
his
wish
was
other
than
to
make
her
his
wife
.
So
,
though
all
her
inclinations
would
have
kept
her
in
Liverpool
,
she
had
,
after
a
severe
struggle
with
herself
,
shortened
her
visit
,
and
returned
to
Derbyshire
without
bidding
him
good-bye
.
He
had
followed
her
,
and
one
evening
when
she
was
walking
alone
she
had
met
him
.
Of
course
,
there
had
been
explanations
.
He
had
implored
her
not
to
send
him
away
—
to
let
him
be
always
as
happy
as
he
had
been
that
month
at
Liverpool
.
He
met
her
objections
as
to
the
difference
in
their
position
by
telling
her
that
he
was
an
outcast
and
an
exile
,
and
had
no
position
.
Would
she
not
make
his
hard
life
a
little
easier
to
him
?
At
every
word
he
said
she
felt
her
resolutions
melting
away
;
but
her
parents
,
would
they
ever
consent
to
her
marriage
with
one
who
held
such
opinions
as
his
?
Then
he
had
told
her
gravely
and
tenderly
that
he
was
at
war
with
society
and
with
most
of
its
conventions
,
and
that
for
him
to
marry
in
the
ordinary
sense
of
the
word
would
be
to
compromise
and
deny
every
principle
on
which
his
life
was
founded
.
The
true
marriage
,
he
had
maintained
,
was
fidelity
,
and
mutual
love
was
more
binding
than
could
be
a
ceremony
in
which
one
of
the
performers
did
not
believe
.
He
loved
her
he
had
said
,
far
too
dearly
to
wish
to
deceive
her
in
the
smallest
degree
about
his
sentiments
,
and
so
he
felt
bound
to
tell
her
that
to
him
a
legal
marriage
would
be
for
ever
impossible
.
In
spite
of
that
,
would
she
not
be
noble
enough
to
trust
her
life
entirely
to
him
,
and
be
his
wife
?
This
had
been
so
completely
unexpected
as
to
be
a
great
shock
to
her
,
and
she
had
felt
at
once
that
,
however
she
might
decide
,
it
would
be
out
of
the
question
to
tell
or
ask
her
parents
about
it
.
Her
choice
lay
between
them
and
her
lover
.
We
know
how
she
chose
.
Of
her
time
of
happiness
she
said
very
little
,
but
her
hearer
gathered
that
,
though
Litvinoff
had
left
her
much
alone
,
she
had
had
no
reason
to
doubt
that
he
still
cared
for
her
.
But
the
influence
of
her
early
training
,
though
it
had
sunk
into
abeyance
in
the
hour
of
strong
temptation
,
had
slowly
and
surely
reasserted
itself
as
the
months
went
by
.
She
had
striven
still
to
believe
that
she
was
acting
rightly
,
but
at
last
it
became
impossible
to
her
to
persuade
herself
that
she
had
any
right
to
be
a
law
unto
herself
.
So
at
last
she
had
left
her
lover
,
with
no
farewell
but
a
letter
,
in
which
she
had
tried
to
tell
him
how
it
was
.
She
had
felt
a
pleasure
in
the
hardness
of
the
life
that
followed
—
had
vaguely
felt
it
to
be
in
some
sort
an
expiation
of
her
wickedness
.
'
You
see
,
'
she
ended
,
'
if
I
had
believed
as
he
did
,
perhaps
I
should
have
been
right
to
act
as
I
did
;
but
I
believed
in
all
the
things
that
he
denies
,
and
so
I
was
wrong
to
dare
to
take
his
views
of
good
and
bad
for
me
,
while
all
the
time
I
kept
my
own
old
thoughts
of
what
was
really
good
and
bad
.
I
ca
n't
explain
myself
well
,
but
you
see
what
I
mean
—
do
n't
you
?
'
'
Yes
,
'
answered
Petrovitch
,
rising
;
'
I
see
that
another
life
has
been
sacrificed
upon
the
altar
of
an
abstraction
.
If
it
gives
you
happiness
to
give
yourself
pain
,
at
anyrate
I
should
think
your
wickedness
,
as
you
call
it
,
was
expiated
now
.
Has
he
never
tried
to
find
you
out
?
'
'
He
may
have
tried
,
'
said
Alice
,
'
but
he
has
not
succeeded
.
'
'
Would
you
not
go
back
to
him
—
now
that
you
have
another
life
than
your
own
to
think
of
?
'
Alice
darted
a
quick
glance
at
him
,
and
turned
very
white
.
'
No
,
unless
that
happened
which
never
can
happen
—
if
his
belief
changed
.
But
I
cannot
go
on
talking
like
this
;
it
is
torture
to
me
—
and
to
what
end
?
'
'
I
told
you
—
for
his
good
and
yours
.
However
,
to
business
.
Of
course
,
since
you
have
undertaken
that
tailor
's
work
you
must
finish
it
;
but
after
,
I
will
get
you
work
better
paid
.
And
this
room
—
you
do
not
like
it
?
Mrs
Toomey
has
a
room
to
let
,
and
I
am
sure
she
will
like
to
have
you
for
a
lodger
.
Will
you
go
there
and
see
it
,
and
if
you
like
it
move
there
?
I
will
lend
you
money
for
moving
and
for
present
expenses
,
and
you
can
pay
me
when
you
settle
to
work
again
.
'
'
But
why
,
'
asked
Alice
,
half
turning
round
to
look
at
him
,
'
why
are
you
so
kind
?
Why
do
you
help
me
so
?
'
'
I
help
you
,
'
he
answered
,
laying
some
money
on
the
table
,
'
because
to
me
you
are
truly
Litvinoff
's
wife
,
and
I
am
the
true
friend
of
all
who
are
friends
of
him
.
'
Alice
knocked
at
Mrs
Toomey
's
door
about
three
o'clock
that
afternoon
.
Mrs
Toomey
,
her
baby
in
her
arms
,
and
an
air
of
reserving
judgment
about
her
,
showed
the
room
she
had
to
let
,
which
was
convenient
and
exquisitely
clean
.
Alice
followed
her
into
the
parlour
afterwards
.
'
I
think
it
only
fair
to
tell
you
,
'
she
began
confusedly
,
'
that
I
am
not
really
Mrs
Litvinoff
—
but
—
'
The
other
interrupted
her
.
'
I
know
all
about
it
,
'
she
said
,
bluntly
,
'
and
now
I
've
seen
you
—
'
specially
as
you
were
going
to
tell
me
,
so
honest
and
fair
—
I
'm
sure
we
shall
get
on
very
well
.
And
no
one
sha'
n't
ever
know
anything
from
me
,
and
let
bygones
be
bygones
betwixt
us
.
If
you
'd
like
to
move
in
at
once
,
why
do
,
and
come
and
have
a
cup
o
'
tea
with
me
when
you
've
fetched
your
things
.
'
There
was
no
mistaking
the
cordiality
which
had
replaced
Mrs
Toomey
's
half
distrust
as
soon
as
she
saw
that
her
would-be
lodger
had
no
intention
of
coming
there
under
false
pretences
.
And
so
,
a
few
hours
later
,
Alice
had
effected
her
moving
,
taken
possession
of
her
room
,
and
was
sitting
by
Mrs
Toomey
's
spotless
hearth
,
with
her
feet
on
the
brilliant
steel
fender
,
her
face
brighter
than
it
had
been
for
many
a
long
day
,
while
the
children
stared
at
her
with
wide
but
friendly
eyes
,
and
Mrs
Toomey
's
baby
lay
contentedly
on
her
lap
.
The
day
had
been
at
its
beginning
so
wild
,
so
bitter
,
so
full
of
horrible
possibilities
;
this
was
a
peaceful
—
almost
a
happy
—
ending
to
it
.
Alice
felt
the
change
keenly
,
and
there
was
gratitude
to
Petrovitch
in
every
word
she
spoke
to
the
mother
,
every
smile
she
gave
to
the
little
ones
.
A
PEACEMAKER
ON
the
morning
after
that
which
he
had
spent
in
the
study
of
Art
,
Count
Litvinoff
was
busily
engaged
in
turning
out
the
pockets
of
coats
,
and
'
making
hay
'
of
the
contents
of
portmanteaus
,
conducting
a
vigorous
search
for
something
or
other
,
and
singing
softly
to
himself
the
while
,
—
'
Oh
,
'
tis
love
,
'
tis
love
,
'
tis
love
,
that
makes
the
world
go
round
;
Every
day
beneath
his
sway
fools
old
and
young
are
found
.
'
Tis
love
,
'
tis
love
that
makes
the
world
go
round
.
'
'
It
may
do
that
,
'
he
said
,
dropping
suddenly
into
prose
,
'
but
it
does
n't
find
missing
property
.
I
shall
have
to
buy
one
,
which
will
be
annoying
,
when
that
one
has
been
kicking
about
ever
since
I
came
from
Liverpool
.
Ah
!
here
it
is
.
I
've
saved
at
least
four
and
sixpence
,
which
to
a
man
in
my
delicate
position
is
a
largish
sum
.
For
,
after
all
,
you
ca
n't
insult
a
man
by
pursuing
him
about
London
with
a
cigar-case
that
cost
less
.
'
He
opened
the
little
crocodile-skin
trifle
and
looked
into
it
.
'
It
has
been
used
as
a
letter-case
before
now
,
and
it
would
rather
complicate
matters
if
I
left
one
of
somebody
's
notes
sticking
in
the
lining
.
Things
are
a
little
bit
that
way
as
it
is
.
The
world
is
very
,
very
small
.
A
remark
,
by
the
way
,
which
is
invariably
made
by
people
who
have
more
than
one
creditor
.
But
it
is
strange
that
I
should
have
run
right
into
the
midst
of
this
Ferrier
set
.
One
would
think
that
there
was
only
one
county
in
England
,
and
that
was
Derbyshire
.
'
He
sighed
a
little
,
but
brightened
as
his
eye
fell
on
the
chair
which
Roland
had
occupied
two
nights
before
.
His
voice
took
up
the
song
again
as
he
returned
his
belongings
to
something
like
order
.
He
had
just
made
his
sitting-room
presentable
again
when
the
waiter
appeared
,
and
offered
,
with
an
air
of
virtuous
and
respectful
protest
,
a
folded
piece
of
paper
,
which
had
been
white
once
,
but
since
that
time
had
apparently
sojourned
in
the
pockets
of
one
who
carried
his
meals
about
with
him
.
'
Seductive
billet-doux
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
as
he
took
it
.
'
Is
it
by
chance
a
tinker
's
bill
?
'
'
It
was
brought
,
sir
,
'
said
the
waiter
,
'
by
a
man
who
appears
to
be
a
foreigner
.
He
said
he
'd
wait
for
an
answer
.
'
'
Show
that
distinguished
gentleman
up
.
'
While
his
order
was
being
obeyed
,
Litvinoff
looked
at
the
paper
again
.
It
was
not
a
letter
or
a
bill
,
after
all
;
but
seemed
intended
to
answer
the
purpose
of
a
visiting
card
,
for
all
that
was
written
on
it
was
'
Johann
Hirsch
.
'
Litvinoff
was
not
altogether
unaccustomed
to
being
called
upon
by
foreign
gentlemen
with
bold
and
original
views
on
the
subject
of
visiting-cards
.
He
never
refused
to
see
any
of
these
visitors
,
and
always
sent
them
away
charmed
with
the
beauty
of
his
sentiments
and
the
liberality
of
his
intentions
,
and
occasionally
with
something
more
substantial
.
As
the
waiter
closed
the
door
and
retreated
with
a
glance
of
politely
veiled
contempt
,
the
man
whom
he
had
shown
in
came
forward
,
and
Litvinoff
recognised
in
him
at
once
the
person
who
had
been
so
interested
in
the
'
Prophetic
Vision
'
on
Sunday
evening
.
He
offered
the
visitor
his
hand
with
sunny
cordiality
.
'
I
am
delighted
to
see
you
.
I
have
not
forgotten
your
kind
interest
in
my
lecture
at
the
Agora
.
Please
take
that
arm-chair
.
'
The
other
did
so
.
'
I
speak
English
not
well
,
'
he
began
.
'
Perhaps
the
Herr
Count
speaks
German
?
'
'
Certainly
,
'
he
replied
,
in
that
language
;
'
but
to
my
friends
I
am
not
Count
,
but
Citizen
Litvinoff
.
'
'
I
cannot
claim
to
be
a
friend
of
yours
,
'
said
the
other
,
who
seemed
to
speak
under
the
influence
of
some
constraint
;
'
but
I
am
a
friend
to
the
cause
you
advocate
.
I
do
not
come
to
you
for
myself
,
but
to
ask
you
to
help
another
,
who
is
in
sore
trouble
and
distress
.
'
'
I
am
very
sorry
.
Who
is
he
?
'
'
It
is
a
woman
.
The
wife
of
an
exile
,
one
of
us
,
separated
from
her
husband
by
circumstances
I
may
not
tell
of
,
but
which
are
not
to
the
discredit
of
either
.
'
'
What
is
her
name
?
'
asked
Litvinoff
,
a
shade
more
interested
than
if
it
had
been
the
exiled
husband
who
needed
relief
.
'
I
do
n't
know
her
name
,
'
said
Hirsch
;
'
but
she
is
very
poor
and
very
proud
,
and
I
am
afraid
very
ill
.
'
'
Unfortunate
combination
,
'
muttered
the
Count
,
below
his
breath
,
in
English
.
'
But
,
my
good
friend
Hirsch
,
how
do
you
propose
to
give
money
to
this
distressed
lady
,
whose
name
you
do
not
even
know
?
'
'
There
is
only
one
from
whom
she
will
take
it
,
and
from
him
I
come
.
He
will
give
it
to
her
.
You
will
have
no
credit
for
your
generosity
,
citizen
,
for
she
will
not
know
from
whom
it
comes
.
'
'
I
do
n't
think
credit
is
what
we
work
for
,
nous
autres
,
'
said
the
Count
,
with
a
slightly
injured
air
.
'
I
must
tell
you
the
truth
,
'
answered
the
Austrian
,
with
a
shrug
of
his
shoulders
and
an
outward
gesture
of
the
palms
of
his
hands
.
'
Doubtless
;
but
may
I
not
know
the
name
of
the
benefactor
from
whose
assistance
this
lady
's
pride
does
not
shrink
?
'
'
Assuredly
;
he
told
me
that
if
I
mentioned
his
name
to
you
,
it
would
be
enough
to
guarantee
your
attention
.
'
A
very
slight
change
passed
over
the
Count
's
face
,
and
yet
there
seemed
nothing
in
that
speech
to
stir
up
uneasiness
.
The
expression
was
so
transient
that
it
escaped
the
sharp
eyes
that
watched
him
from
under
Hirsch
's
shaggy
eyebrows
.
'
Distress
itself
is
the
best
guarantee
for
my
attention
.
'
He
rose
and
unlocked
a
despatch
box
and
took
out
a
cheque-book
.
As
he
took
up
a
pen
and
sat
down
he
asked
,
—
'
What
is
our
friend
's
name
?
'
'
His
name
is
Petrovitch
.
You
knew
him
in
Russia
,
I
believe
.
'
'
I
have
heard
much
of
him
lately
in
London
,
but
I
have
never
been
so
fortunate
as
to
meet
him
here
.
'
'
He
was
with
me
at
the
Agora
on
Sunday
.
'
Litvinoff
looked
up
pleasantly
from
the
cheque
he
had
been
filling
in
.
'
Ah
,
so
,
'
he
said
,
'
I
wonder
he
could
not
have
answered
you
about
the
pamphlet
.
'
'
He
could
have
done
,
'
said
the
other
rather
grimly
,
'
if
I
had
thought
of
asking
him
,
but
I
did
not
think
of
doing
so
.
'
'
Well
,
I
must
hope
soon
to
meet
Citizen
Petrovitch
.
In
the
meantime
give
him
this
,
with
my
best
hopes
for
the
welfare
of
his
lady
friend
.
I
wish
it
may
be
useful
,
small
though
it
is
.
'
'
There
's
no
doubt
about
that
,
'
said
Hirsch
,
rising
as
the
other
held
out
the
cheque
,
and
glancing
at
the
two
figures
on
it
,
before
folding
it
very
small
and
concealing
it
in
an
inner
part
of
his
nondescript
garments
.
'
By
the
way
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
'
I
've
made
that
out
to
Petrovitch
's
order
,
as
I
did
not
know
the
lady
's
name
.
'
'
It
is
better
so
perhaps
,
'
said
Hirsch
.
'
Good
day
.
'
'
Do
not
go
yet
,
'
said
the
other
,
hospitably
;
'
wo
n't
you
stay
and
have
some
lunch
?
'
'
Thank
you
,
no
;
I
have
eaten
.
'
'
Well
,
at
anyrate
,
you
'll
have
a
glass
of
wine
,
wo
n't
you
?
'
'
I
am
not
thirsty
,
I
thank
you
;
good
day
.
'
'
Good
day
,
'
said
the
Count
,
shaking
hands
cordially
.
As
the
door
closed
behind
the
other
he
sank
into
an
arm-chair
.
'
What
an
exceedingly
fatiguing
person
.
He
chooses
amiable
and
courteous
messengers
,
this
Petrovitch
.
I
wonder
if
I
did
know
him
in
Russia
.
My
memories
of
childhood
's
hour
are
singularly
confused
,
but
it
's
impossible
to
remember
everybody
,
that
's
one
comfort
.
It
is
remarkable
how
well
people
remember
me
,
when
there
's
anything
to
be
got
by
it
.
This
princely
drawing
of
cheques
,
however
,
will
come
to
an
abrupt
termination
shortly
,
and
then
—
I
wonder
exactly
how
long
it
will
be
before
I
send
in
my
name
to
people
on
dirty
bits
of
paper
as
a
preface
to
requests
for
cheques
for
destitute
lady
friends
?
'
He
deftly
rolled
a
cigarette
,
lighted
it
,
and
then
said
,
musingly
,
—
'
That
property
in
Volhynia
,
would
it
be
possible
—
By
heaven
,
it
would
be
a
gallant
attempt
—
it
would
be
almost
genius
.
As
a
forlorn
hope
it
would
be
sublime
;
but
I
have
still
some
hopes
that
are
not
forlorn
,
and
the
position
of
an
English
landowner
is
not
unenviable
.
It
would
at
anyrate
enable
one
to
give
cheques
with
a
freer
hand
to
any
mysterious
stranger
with
dirty
linen
whose
anonymous
lady
friends
may
happen
to
be
hard
up
.
Hullo
,
my
friend
!
'
—
as
his
eye
fell
on
the
cigar-case
—
'
I
'd
almost
forgotten
you
.
I
suppose
I
must
be
about
my
business
.
There
are
very
few
men
,
I
am
convinced
,
who
work
as
hard
for
"
the
daily
crust
"
as
I
do
.
'
He
flung
the
end
of
his
cigarette
in
the
fire
,
and
put
on
his
coat
.
'
And
now
,
'
he
said
,
taking
up
his
hat
,
'
to
seek
the
Midland
Hotel
,
and
face
whichever
Ferrier
the
Fates
may
send
me
.
Probably
I
shall
have
my
walk
for
nothing
;
they
will
be
engaged
in
business
,
these
interesting
victims
of
a
misunderstanding
which
I
so
deeply
deplore
.
'
He
smiled
hopefully
at
himself
in
the
glass
,
and
went
out
.
'
Is
Mr
Ferrier
in
?
'
he
asked
,
when
he
reached
the
Midland
Hotel
,
and
the
answer
being
'
Yes
,
'
he
turned
into
the
coffee-room
to
wait
,
still
uncertain
as
to
which
brother
he
should
see
.
It
was
Richard
who
came
down
to
him
after
a
few
minutes
—
Richard
,
whose
face
,
ulster
,
and
soft
hat
all
seemed
to
be
of
the
same
shade
of
drab
.
'
Good
morning
,
Count
Litvinoff
,
'
he
said
;
'
can
I
be
of
any
service
to
you
?
'
'
It
was
your
brother
I
wished
to
see
,
'
said
the
Count
.
'
He
did
me
the
honour
to
spend
a
few
moments
at
my
rooms
last
night
,
and
I
think
this
must
be
his
.
May
I
trouble
you
to
give
it
to
him
?
'
Here
he
produced
the
cigar-case
.
'
I
do
n't
think
it
belongs
to
my
brother
,
'
said
Richard
,
'
and
I
'm
sorry
I
ca
n't
do
anything
in
the
matter
;
but
I
sha'
n't
see
him
again
.
'
'
Ah
!
you
are
leaving
London
?
'
'
I
'm
leaving
this
hotel
.
'
'
Well
,
perhaps
you
are
right
to
seek
one
more
cheerfully
placed
.
You
are
not
looking
well
;
perhaps
this
situation
depresses
you
?
'
'
Oh
,
I
'm
all
right
,
thanks
.
I
'm
rather
glad
you
happened
to
call
,
because
I
shall
perhaps
not
see
you
again
.
I
'm
afraid
I
was
rather
uncivil
yesterday
,
and
,
if
so
,
I
'm
sorry
:
I
did
n't
intend
it
,
but
it
struck
me
afterwards
that
it
might
seem
so
to
you
.
The
fact
is
,
I
was
horribly
put
out
about
something
.
'
'
Oh
,
do
n't
mention
it
.
I
saw
then
that
you
were
annoyed
about
something
,
and
now
I
know
what
it
was
.
I
know
enough
of
English
manners
,
Mr
Ferrier
,
to
know
that
here
a
stranger
's
interference
in
personal
or
family
matters
is
the
unpardonable
sin
.
But
my
faith
,
you
know
,
compels
me
to
set
aside
conventions
that
are
only
conventions
,
and
to
try
to
give
help
wherever
help
can
be
given
.
'
I
am
so
complete
a
stranger
,
'
he
went
on
,
regardless
of
a
slight
movement
of
impatience
from
the
other
,
'
so
utterly
,
so
palpably
disinterested
,
that
I
hope
I
may
without
offence
say
to
you
what
I
intended
to
say
to
Mr
Roland
.
'
'
I
do
n't
see
that
anything
could
be
said
to
my
brother
without
offence
that
could
not
equally
well
be
said
to
me
.
'
'
This
,
then
,
is
what
I
would
ask
.
Is
there
anything
I
can
do
to
effect
a
reconciliation
between
you
and
your
brother
,
and
prevent
this
breach
from
growing
wider
?
'
'
I
had
never
told
you
that
there
was
any
breach
,
'
Richard
said
stiffly
.
'
No
,
'
he
said
,
'
but
all
others
have
not
your
powers
of
reticence
.
'
'
I
presume
my
brother
has
been
confiding
in
you
.
'
'
Your
brother
told
me
—
what
perhaps
his
pride
forbade
him
to
tell
you
—
that
you
had
accused
him
of
something
of
which
he
assured
me
he
was
as
innocent
as
—
as
I
am
,
'
ended
Litvinoff
,
raising
his
eyebrows
ingenuously
.
Richard
's
first
impulse
was
to
request
the
Count
to
mind
his
own
business
,
but
he
remembered
that
the
interferer
was
a
foreigner
,
and
besides
,
Litvinoff
's
manner
was
so
honest
,
and
what
he
said
was
true
enough
.
He
certainly
must
be
disin
terested
.
So
he
constrained
himself
to
say
,
with
very
little
change
of
manner
,
—
'
If
my
brother
wishes
to
disprove
any
charges
I
may
bring
,
he
'd
better
disprove
them
to
me
.
'
'
But
are
you
quite
sure
that
you
were
not
mistaken
?
May
not
your
feelings
on
another
matter
have
predisposed
you
to
believe
without
evidence
enough
in
this
?
'
'
I
quite
fail
to
understand
,
'
said
Richard
,
frowning
.
'
Is
it
not
possible
that
you
may
have
thought
of
him
less
as
your
brother
than
as
your
rival
?
'
'
If
you
have
anything
more
to
say
that
needs
saying
,
I
shall
be
glad
if
you
will
say
it
plainly
.
'
Richard
spoke
angrily
.
'
Plainly
,
then
—
you
also
are
a
suitor
for
the
hand
of
Miss
Stanley
?
'
Ferrier
's
hand
clenched
itself
,
and
then
made
a
little
movement
which
seemed
quite
involuntary
.
The
blood
rushed
to
his
face
as
he
spoke
.
'
May
I
ask
who
gave
you
that
piece
of
false
information
?
'
'
Certainly
you
may
ask
,
'
answered
Litvinoff
,
smiling
very
sweetly
.
Other
people
's
tempers
did
not
seem
to
affect
him
much
.
'
You
may
ask
,
but
I
—
I
must
not
reply
.
'
'
It
is
lucky
that
I
do
n't
need
your
answer
.
There
's
only
one
person
who
would
have
told
you
such
a
lie
,
and
for
the
future
you
'd
better
keep
your
interference
for
him
,
as
he
seems
to
like
it
.
'
'
And
you
,
perhaps
you
'd
better
keep
your
insolence
for
those
who
'll
stand
it
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
with
the
same
gentle
smile
.
'
Perhaps
our
next
meeting
may
be
in
a
country
where
it
is
customary
to
avenge
insults
in
some
other
way
than
what
you
call
,
I
think
,
a
rough-and-tumble
fight
.
Au
revoir
!
'
'
You
do
n't
seem
to
find
other
countries
very
anxious
to
have
you
,
since
you
have
had
to
run
away
from
one
at
least
,
'
said
Richard
passionately
.
'
Oh
,
delicacy
and
nobility
of
English
chivalry
!
'
said
the
Count
,
turning
at
the
door
to
favour
the
other
with
one
last
smile
.
'
How
unfortunate
for
Miss
Stanley
that
you
at
least
are
impossible
.
Pouf
!
The
bourgeoisie
is
the
same
,
all
the
world
over
!
'
He
lingered
in
the
hall
to
make
himself
a
cigarette
,
half
expecting
Richard
to
follow
him
,
but
as
he
did
not
,
strolled
slowly
away
into
the
street
.
Richard
remained
standing
in
the
coffee-room
with
one
hand
on
the
table
by
which
the
conversation
had
taken
place
.
He
felt
indignantly
injured
by
Litvinoff
's
interference
,
and
in
the
first
moments
of
passion
felt
sure
that
his
interference
had
not
been
disinterested
.
But
as
he
grew
calmer
,
and
was
able
to
think
the
matter
out
quietly
,
he
could
not
suggest
to
himself
any
possible
reason
for
the
Count
's
wishing
to
adjust
the
quarrel
between
himself
and
Roland
,
except
the
one
he
had
given
.
Yet
,
even
if
the
Russian
had
been
merely
filling
the
rôle
of
'
friend
of
humanity
,
'
Dick
felt
glad
that
he
had
shown
resentment
.
One
might
overlook
intermeddling
which
had
its
rise
in
an
overpowering
interest
in
one
's
own
personality
;
but
when
one
was
included
merely
in
a
vast
aggregate
like
humanity
,
the
compliment
which
might
have
been
as
salt
to
over-officiousness
did
not
exist
,
and
the
conduct
of
the
Count
became
simply
offensive
.
But
,
after
all
,
most
of
his
resentment
was
levelled
at
the
man
who
had
put
this
weapon
into
the
Russian
's
hands
.
Had
his
brother
completely
lost
all
sense
of
honour
—
of
decency
even
—
that
he
should
thus
make
him
,
Richard
,
the
subject
of
confidence
with
a
stranger
?
And
such
confidences
,
too
;
confidences
that
hinged
on
her
name
.
'
But
why
should
I
expect
anything
better
from
him
,
after
his
conduct
to
