Idone
?
And
here
I
am
,
left
up
here
like
a
great
fool
,
while
they
are
tearing
my
character
to
ribbons
downstairs
.
Was
there
ever
such
an
unfortunate
brute
as
myself
?
"
The
musician
's
voice
became
husky
,
whether
from
self-pity
,
or
from
the
recollection
of
the
poor
little
scared
face
of
the
child
who
had
found
her
happiness
only
to
lose
it
again
,
it
would
be
impossible
to
say
.
"
Women
are
such
deuced
odd
things
,
"
continued
the
musician
,
complainingly
;
"
they
expect
you
to
look
on
while
they
scratch
one
another
's
eyes
out
,
and
then
if
you
touch
a
hair
of
their
heads
you
have
the
whole
lot
of
them
against
you
.
Bless
her
!
I
would
give
my
life
to
undo
what
I
have
done
to
her
to-day
.
"
Which
did
he
mean
?
Perhaps
he
hardly
knew
.
But
Lady
Joan
did
all
the
while
that
she
sat
by
Norah
Bisley
on
the
horse-hair
sofa
,
downstairs
in
the
oak-panelled
parlor
.
The
child
stirred
in
his
sleep
.
"
Happy
Sonny
,
"
murmured
the
musician
,
sentimentally
,
"
your
turn
has
yet
to
come
.
Why
ca
n't
children
always
remain
children
?
Norah
ought
never
to
have
grown
up
;
she
was
meant
for
eternal
childhood
.
It
was
a
mistake
to
make
Lady
Joan
a
child
at
all
,
she
ought
to
have
been
born
a
full-grown
woman
.
I
ought
never
to
have
been
born
at
all
,
of
course
.
Who
arranges
these
things
?
"
Then
he
went
to
the
table
by
the
window
,
and
cleared
it
of
Sonny
's
monkey
without
a
tail
,
and
the
fat
pink
pin-cushion
,
and
the
pale
green
glass
pot
with
a
lid
,
and
the
shining
porcelain
shepherdess
with
a
chipped
crook
,
and
the
knitted
toilet-cover
that
entrapped
the
legs
of
all
these
ornaments
,
and
sat
down
to
write
the
best
song
he
had
ever
composed
,
to
some
words
by
George
Meredith
.
"
Men
are
always
brutes
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
"
but
this
one
has
only
become
so
by
accident
.
Stupid
people
do
more
harm
than
bad
ones
,
ever
so
much
.
The
fates
will
help
you
out
of
a
hole
if
you
have
been
a
clever
sinner
,
but
they
will
lay
a
pitfall
for
you
if
you
are
a
blundering
,
good-intentioned
sort
of
creature
.
The
fact
is
,
this
world
of
ours
was
made
for
clever
people
,
and
the
fools
have
n't
a
chance
.
That
is
why
he
has
gone
wrong
.
"
"
Is
he
a
fool
then
?
"
asked
the
weary
voice
on
the
sofa
.
One
disillusionment
more
than
another
did
not
matter
now
that
her
idol
was
broken
.
"
He
lives
by
his
emotions
,
and
he
has
no
sense
of
proportion
.
It
comes
to
the
same
thing
.
He
had
no
intention
of
being
faithless
to
you
,
and
if
you
had
not
gone
away
he
would
have
married
you
,
and
remained
dull
and
virtuous
to
the
end
of
his
days
.
But
you
did
go
away
,
and
I
came
home
;
and
he
ca
n't
live
without
a
woman
,
and
so
he
persuaded
himself
that
his
friendship
for
me
was
love
.
That
was
how
it
was
done
.
Perhaps
I
encouraged
him
too
.
He
was
interesting
to
me
,
and
he
was
never
in
love
with
me
,
so
I
amused
myself
by
trying
to
fascinate
him
.
I
ca
n't
help
being
a
woman
.
"
"
Are
women
like
that
too
?
"
thought
the
other
,
and
she
added
out
loud
,
"
I
am
a
woman
too
,
but
—
"
and
left
her
sentence
unfinished
.
"
No
,
you
are
not
a
woman
,
you
are
only
a
child
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
;
"
the
world
is
a
place
for
you
to
play
in
.
You
were
born
to
be
happy
,
and
you
will
never
have
to
realize
the
things
I
have
been
telling
you
.
"
"
I
shall
never
be
happy
again
,
"
said
the
tired
voice
,
with
a
sob
.
"
We
all
say
that
at
eighteen
;
it
comforts
us
sometimes
to
be
the
most
miserable
person
in
the
world
.
Then
we
turn
round
a
bit
,
and
the
sun
comes
out
again
,
and
some
one
gives
us
a
tonic
,
and
we
endow
a
cot
at
the
hospital
,
or
give
a
farthing
meal
to
five
hundred
brats
in
the
East
End
,
and
then
we
go
on
again
.
You
have
never
been
in
love
before
,
of
course
?
"
"
Do
n't
,
"
moaned
the
other
from
the
corner
of
the
unsympathetic
sofa
.
The
clear
calm
tones
of
her
Mentor
softened
a
little
.
"
I
do
n't
want
to
hurt
you
,
Norah
;
I
only
mean
that
if
you
go
in
for
loving
once
in
a
lifetime
and
that
sort
of
thing
,
you
really
cannot
properly
understand
the
utter
insouciance
of
an
emotional
man
like
Digby
.
He
will
love
you
more
than
ever
now
that
you
have
come
back
,
and
you
will
be
ten
times
happier
than
if
you
had
been
married
straight
off
without
any
drawbacks
.
You
have
got
rid
of
your
ideals
,
to
begin
with
,
which
most
of
them
do
not
accomplish
until
after
marriage
,
and
that
is
always
a
risk
.
And
you
will
find
there
is
lots
of
time
to
be
happy
.
"
"
Oh
,
"
said
the
other
,
in
an
altered
tone
,
sitting
upright
,
and
speaking
with
startling
emphasis
,
"
and
do
you
really
mean
to
say
that
you
think
I
should
marry
him
now
?
"
Lady
Joan
did
not
turn
a
hair
,
vulgarly
speaking
;
she
felt
she
had
done
wonders
already
by
getting
rid
of
the
battered
,
hopeless
little
voice
,
and
she
merely
smiled
to
herself
in
the
twilight
in
a
triumphant
,
self-satisfied
manner
.
"
You
are
to
come
home
with
me
now
,
and
I
will
send
down
for
your
maid
,
and
you
shall
stay
the
night
and
get
rested
.
I
suppose
you
have
eaten
nothing
for
hours
?
Then
how
can
you
expect
to
take
a
proper
view
of
things
?
Half
the
troubles
of
life
come
from
a
bad
digestion
;
it
's
not
romantic
,
but
then
I
do
n't
belong
to
your
musical
set
.
"
And
she
carried
Norah
off
through
the
back
door
,
leaving
Mrs.
Haxtell
with
material
for
a
year
's
gossip
,
and
a
note
for
the
musician
to
the
effect
that
he
was
to
come
up
to
the
Court
after
dinner
and
give
them
some
music
.
"
That
is
the
cleverest
woman
I
know
,
"
he
sputtered
,
as
he
plunged
his
head
into
a
basin
of
cold
water
after
reading
the
scrawled
scrap
of
paper
.
And
he
added
grimly
,
"
I
suppose
she
will
tell
me
which
one
I
am
to
marry
.
And
I
am
not
in
a
position
to
object
.
"
But
he
felt
grateful
to
her
for
asking
him
in
such
a
commonplace
sort
of
way
,
and
he
put
the
song
he
had
been
writing
into
the
pocket
of
his
Inverness
coat
,
and
walked
up
to
the
Court
in
the
dusk
.
She
was
just
as
commonplace
in
her
greeting
.
He
found
them
in
the
big
drawing-room
near
the
open
window
,
and
he
had
to
walk
the
whole
length
of
the
room
before
they
took
any
notice
of
the
butler
's
announcement
,
or
turned
round
.
Lady
Joan
was
knitting
a
large
white
shawl
,
and
talking
vigorously
;
Norah
was
lying
silently
on
a
couch
,
with
her
great
sentimental
eyes
looking
out
into
the
garden
;
and
the
curate
,
who
had
also
dropped
in
after
dinner
,
was
sipping
his
coffee
and
listening
deferentially
to
his
hostess
.
"
Of
course
,
indifference
is
the
characteristic
of
the
times
,
as
you
say
,
Mr.
Johnson
,
but
I
am
not
sure
that
it
matters
much
.
There
is
not
much
to
choose
between
the
negative
virtue
of
the
present
day
and
the
positive
wickedness
of
our
forefathers
.
"
Mr.
Johnson
ventured
the
unavoidable
reply
that
negative
virtue
was
worse
than
positive
wickedness
,
because
it
professed
more
.
"
That
is
true
,
but
we
must
continue
to
be
miserable
sinners
in
some
way
or
other
,
or
else
the
Litany
would
have
to
be
expunged
,
and
that
would
offend
the
Conservatives
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
with
a
flippancy
which
was
merely
to
hide
the
fact
that
she
was
feeling
what
women
call
overwrought
;
and
she
turned
to
Digby
to
conceal
her
consciousness
of
having
been
extravagant
instead
of
witty
.
"
Ah
,
Mr.
Raleigh
,
how
do
you
do
?
How
good
of
you
to
come
on
such
a
short
notice
.
You
have
seen
Norah
to-day
,
I
think
?
Our
new
curate
,
Mr.
Johnson
.
We
were
just
longing
for
some
music
.
"
Digby
was
again
thankful
for
her
sang
froid
.
He
touched
her
fingers
,
and
bowed
to
the
others
,
and
he
took
his
black
coffee
from
the
tray
presented
to
him
by
the
butler
,
and
apologized
in
the
most
ordinary
manner
for
not
being
in
evening
dress
.
"
And
may
we
have
some
music
,
please
?
Mr.
Raleigh
is
a
musician
,
you
know
,
Mr.
Johnson
;
perhaps
you
know
his
songs
,
though
?
"
Mr.
Johnson
said
he
was
passionately
fond
of
music
,
and
he
knew
Mr.
Raleigh
's
name
quite
well
,
and
had
once
sung
a
song
of
his
called
"
Love
's
Sweet
Illusions
.
"
"
I
have
not
written
a
song
of
that
name
;
I
never
write
ballads
,
"
said
the
musician
,
crushingly
,
as
he
opened
the
piano
.
"
Something
stormy
,
please
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
carelessly
;
"
it
is
so
hot
that
if
you
played
anything
sentimental
I
think
it
might
affect
even
my
unmusical
nerves
.
"
"
Something
of
your
own
,
"
said
Norah
.
They
were
the
first
words
she
had
spoken
,
and
the
musician
glanced
nervously
in
her
direction
.
He
sat
down
and
played
the
song
he
had
just
written
,
and
hummed
the
words
to
show
how
it
went
.
They
were
taken
from
the
"
Shaving
of
Shagpat
,
"
and
the
music
was
full
of
the
reckless
passion
and
meaning
of
the
original
.
"
Whether
we
die
or
we
live
,
Matters
it
now
no
more
;
Life
hath
naught
further
to
give
;
Love
is
its
crown
and
its
core
;
Come
to
us
either
,
we
're
rife
,
—
Death
or
life
!
"
Death
can
take
not
away
,
Darkness
and
light
are
the
same
;
We
are
beyond
the
pale
ray
,
Wrapt
in
a
rosier
flame
;
Welcome
which
will
to
our
breath
,
—
Life
or
Death
!
"
When
he
began
to
play
,
all
the
stormy
and
conflicting
feelings
of
the
last
few
hours
passed
through
his
mind
,
and
he
was
seized
with
the
grimness
and
humor
of
the
situation
in
which
he
found
himself
,
and
he
played
better
than
either
of
the
two
women
,
who
were
so
strangely
woven
into
his
life
,
had
ever
heard
him
play
before
.
When
he
reached
the
second
verse
he
stopped
humming
the
words
,
though
none
of
them
noticed
it
;
and
when
he
came
to
the
end
no
one
spoke
for
some
seconds
.
The
musician
was
thinking
that
he
knew
now
which
one
he
wanted
to
marry
,
and
that
it
did
not
matter
if
his
love
affairs
went
wrong
so
long
as
there
was
music
to
be
made
.
Lady
Joan
went
on
with
her
shawl
,
and
reflected
that
if
she
lived
to
be
a
hundred
she
should
never
understand
musical
people
or
their
ways
.
Norah
lay
with
her
brown
eyes
full
of
tears
,
and
she
was
thinking
that
love
was
the
strongest
thing
in
the
world
,
for
it
could
outlive
its
ideals
.
The
curate
was
not
thinking
at
all
,
and
he
got
up
and
put
down
his
cup
with
a
clatter
.
"
Very
sweet
and
pretty
,
"
he
said
;
"
it
quite
reminds
me
of
a
little
Italian
thing
I
once
heard
on
a
military
band
at
Leamington
.
Have
you
ever
taken
the
waters
at
Leamington
,
Mr.
Raleigh
?
"
"
Play
something
else
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
abruptly
,
for
the
spell
was
working
well
,
she
thought
,
and
she
smiled
triumphantly
again
at
the
tears
in
Norah
's
eyes
.
This
time
Lady
Joan
walked
to
the
window
and
stepped
out
on
the
terrace
.
"
Have
you
seen
the
lake
in
moonlight
,
Mr.
Johnson
?
"
she
called
out
when
the
music
stopped
;
and
the
curate
followed
her
into
the
garden
.
The
musician
crossed
over
to
the
couch
by
the
other
window
,
and
sat
down
on
a
chair
close
to
it
.
"
Norah
,
"
he
said
in
a
low
tone
,
"
do
you
know
when
I
wrote
the
last
thing
I
played
?
"
She
said
nothing
,
and
her
fingers
trembled
.
"
I
wrote
it
when
you
went
away
,
last
time
,
with
your
father
.
It
was
full
of
tears
for
you
.
"
She
still
kept
her
face
turned
from
him
,
and
she
spoke
almost
in
a
whisper
.
"
And
the
other
?
The
song
?
"
"
Guess
,
"
he
said
,
also
in
a
whisper
.
She
swept
her
tearful
eyes
round
upon
him
searchingly
,
hungrily
.
"
Was
it
this
evening
—
after
—
?
"
He
bowed
his
head
gravely
.
Her
hands
went
out
to
him
impetuously
.
"
Oh
,
Digby
,
did
it
make
you
feel
all
that
?
"
"
There
is
no
doubt
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
loudly
,
"
that
our
sympathies
or
our
antipathies
make
us
sometimes
imagine
a
likeness
where
it
cannot
exist
.
I
remember
when
I
was
a
small
child
and
came
to
stay
with
my
great-uncle
here
,
I
used
to
invent
every
kind
of
excuse
for
going
down
to
the
post-office
,
because
I
thought
the
boy
behind
the
counter
was
like
a
cousin
of
mine
I
had
a
romantic
admiration
for
at
the
time
.
And
of
course
you
know
how
there
are
some
days
when
everybody
in
the
street
reminds
you
of
some
one
you
do
n't
want
to
meet
,
and
others
when
you
feel
you
have
not
the
least
affinity
to
your
own
sister
.
The
fact
is
,
family
likeness
is
all
rubbish
,
like
most
of
the
traditions
we
have
grown
up
with
;
I
mean
,
there
is
just
as
much
chance
of
two
strangers
being
alike
,
which
you
have
just
proved
yourself
,
Mr.
Johnson
,
by
supposing
Mr.
Raleigh
and
my
little
friend
Norah
to
be
brother
and
sister
.
Shall
we
go
in
,
now
,
or
would
you
like
another
turn
round
the
garden
?
"
The
curate
felt
he
had
been
sufficiently
battered
in
that
one
brief
stroll
to
the
lake
,
and
he
consulted
his
watch
and
said
he
had
some
work
waiting
for
him
at
home
.
So
they
came
back
again
through
the
open
window
,
and
found
Norah
still
lying
on
the
couch
,
and
the
musician
on
the
low
chair
at
her
side
.
"
What
a
horrid
little
man
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
when
the
curate
had
left
.
"
Is
he
?
"
said
Norah
,
vaguely
.
"
Oh
,
I
do
n't
think
he
's
bad
,
"
said
the
musician
,
cheerfully
.
Their
hostess
made
a
huge
effort
,
and
preserved
her
smile
.
"
It
may
be
because
I
had
to
entertain
him
,
"
she
said
,
knitting
busily
at
her
large
white
shawl
.
"
Why
did
n't
you
leave
him
alone
?
"
they
asked
,
with
the
sublime
innocence
of
the
selfish
.
"
Because
that
was
what
you
did
,
"
she
replied
.
"
Oh
,
but
we
thought
you
were
getting
on
so
well
with
him
,
"
said
Norah
.
"
Besides
,
"
added
Digby
,
"
you
need
not
have
asked
him
into
the
garden
.
"
"
Perhaps
I
need
n't
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
and
counted
her
stitches
.
"
I
am
so
dreadfully
worried
about
something
,
"
she
said
,
presently
.
"
What
about
?
"
they
asked
,
feeling
that
it
had
somehow
been
the
atmosphere
of
the
whole
day
.
"
The
dilapidation
of
my
pig-styes
;
Jones
says
two
of
them
will
go
on
for
some
time
,
but
the
others
want
repairing
.
Now
,
is
it
worth
while
to
have
two
repaired
,
or
shall
I
wait
until
they
all
fall
to
pieces
,
and
put
up
brick
ones
?
"
"
That
is
a
question
,
"
said
Norah
,
gravely
.
The
musician
laughed
heartily
.
"
What
a
fuss
ladies
make
about
trifles
.
If
you
had
a
man
to
manage
your
affairs
—
"
"
But
I
have
n't
,
"
she
said
quickly
,
and
looked
him
full
in
the
face
;
"
I
thought
of
getting
one
,
but
—
it
has
fallen
through
.
"
The
musician
did
not
laugh
any
more
,
and
Norah
's
big
eyes
began
to
shine
again
.
Lady
Joan
felt
she
had
fully
deserved
that
little
bit
of
revenge
.
But
it
was
not
amusing
enough
to
carry
any
further
,
and
she
was
beginning
to
weary
of
the
protracted
love-making
of
the
day
,
especially
now
that
she
was
no
longer
a
principal
actor
in
the
play
.
So
she
folded
up
her
work
elaborately
,
and
pinned
it
in
a
white
silk
handkerchief
,
and
put
her
hand
on
her
mouth
to
conceal
a
yawn
.
"
It
has
been
the
longest
day
I
have
ever
spent
.
I
suppose
it
is
the
weather
.
Would
you
shut
the
piano
,
Mr.
Raleigh
?
You
look
tired
to
death
,
Norah
,
and
I
am
going
to
take
you
to
bed
.
Come
along
at
once
,
please
.
"
They
all
rose
to
their
feet
,
and
there
was
an
embarrassing
moment
.
But
Lady
Joan
took
another
little
bit
of
revenge
here
,
and
kept
her
arm
round
Norah
's
waist
,
and
her
sharp
eyes
on
both
of
them
.
"
You
will
come
to
breakfast
to-morrow
,
and
bring
Sonny
with
you
?
Say
good-night
and
come
,
Norah
,
I
am
so
sleepy
.
"
So
they
all
shook
hands
frigidly
,
and
the
musician
asked
what
time
breakfast
was
;
and
they
left
him
alone
in
the
long
drawing-room
,
and
went
upstairs
.
Lady
Joan
still
found
him
there
when
she
came
down
again
,
half-an-hour
later
;
he
was
at
the
piano
,
but
he
got
up
as
she
came
in
.
"
You
are
the
finest
woman
I
ever
met
,
"
he
said
with
emotion
.
She
made
a
gesture
of
impatience
.
"
Do
n't
cover
me
with
virtues
I
do
n't
possess
;
I
ca
n't
stand
it
,
"
she
said
sharply
;
she
had
a
very
unmusical
voice
,
he
thought
.
"
Do
n't
you
know
that
my
god
is
expediency
?
It
is
the
only
one
that
is
any
good
for
this
world
.
I
do
n't
want
you
to
marry
Norah
,
or
I
should
not
have
come
back
to
the
inn
to
ask
you
to
marry
me
.
Do
you
suppose
my
pride
suffered
nothing
by
that
?
However
,
you
are
going
to
marry
her
because
it
is
absolutely
the
only
way
out
of
it
,
and
I
have
been
obliged
to
give
in
to
you
both
.
But
for
Heaven
's
sake
do
n't
imagine
I
am
doing
it
from
unselfishness
,
or
any
of
that
bosh
,
because
I
'm
not
.
"
"
Then
you
have
not
forgiven
me
?
"
he
asked
humbly
.
"
I
shall
never
forgive
you
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
decidedly
;
"
is
it
not
an
insult
that
you
should
suppose
me
capable
of
forgiveness
?
"
"
Perhaps
it
is
,
"
said
the
musician
,
thoughtfully
.
"
Why
was
I
born
so
accursedly
unlucky
?
"
"
I
'm
afraid
I
ca
n't
tell
you
.
But
you
seem
to
be
going
to
have
all
you
want
now
,
so
it
is
about
time
you
ceased
railing
at
your
fate
.
I
suppose
if
I
were
properly
unselfish
I
should
efface
myself
at
once
,
and
part
from
you
in
an
affecting
scene
.
But
the
people
who
make
affecting
scenes
are
apt
to
forget
that
they
have
got
to
meet
again
afterwards
as
ordinary
actors
in
an
ordinary
play
,
and
then
the
memory
of
the
affecting
scene
makes
them
sheepish
;
so
I
prefer
to
tell
you
that
I
am
merely
and
vulgarly
angry
with
you
for
inviting
me
to
make
a
fool
of
myself
.
Not
that
I
envy
that
poor
child
upstairs
either
;
she
does
n't
understand
you
a
bit
,
and
you
will
wound
her
half-a-dozen
times
a
day
.
It
is
not
my
affair
,
however
,
and
you
will
have
to
get
through
it
together
somehow
;
I
wash
my
hands
of
you
both
.
"
The
musician
said
he
thought
they
might
manage
it
,
perhaps
;
and
Lady
Joan
pulled
down
the
blind
in
eloquent
silence
,
and
rang
the
bell
.
He
took
the
hint
and
held
out
his
hand
.
"
Good-night
.
You
will
come
to
breakfast
?
"
"
Since
you
say
so
;
I
always
do
what
you
tell
me
,
"
he
said
,
with
truth
.
"
No
,
you
do
n't
,
"
she
contradicted
,
"
or
you
would
never
have
cajoled
me
into
saying
I
would
marry
you
.
If
you
had
done
what
I
told
you
to-day
all
this
trouble
would
not
have
arisen
.
How
brutally
forgetful
men
are
!
"
Which
was
hardly
fair
of
her
,
he
thought
,
as
it
was
his
distinct
recollection
that
she
had
really
ended
in
asking
him
to
marry
her
,
and
had
hardly
waited
for
his
assent
to
the
proposal
;
if
she
had
meant
what
she
said
in
the
castle
meadow
,
and
kept
to
it
,
there
would
have
been
no
complications
at
all
.
And
the
musician
finished
his
cigar
in
the
orchard
of
the
"
Relton
Arms
,
"
and
came
to
the
conclusion
that
Lady
Joan
with
all
her
excellent
qualities
had
an
unpleasant
amount
of
worldly
wisdom
and
egoism
in
her
composition
,
which
he
had
never
discovered
until
he
had
seen
it
contrasted
with
the
womanly
innocence
of
his
dear
little
betrothed
.
"
How
brutally
forgetful
men
are
!
"
were
the
words
that
remained
on
the
lips
of
the
worldly
wise
woman
all
through
that
hot
night
in
August
.
CHAPTER
VII
.
There
were
many
and
various
opinions
concerning
the
fresh
engagement
of
the
musician
.
His
lady
friends
could
at
first
hardly
believe
that
he
should
overlook
them
all
,
and
choose
a
wife
who
was
not
one
of
themselves
,
and
had
never
attended
the
receptions
in
the
West
End
studio
;
but
when
they
learnt
that
it
was
not
only
a
fact
,
but
that
the
date
of
the
marriage
was
fixed
,
they
at
once
did
their
best
to
meet
the
situation
gracefully
by
buying
the
most
appropriate
wedding
presents
they
could
find
,
in
the
shape
of
biscuit
boxes
shaped
like
drums
,
and
clocks
mounted
in
lyres
.
This
caused
considerable
rivalry
among
his
pupils
,
which
was
not
lessened
by
their
desire
to
meet
his
betrothed
,
and
their
jealousy
when
this
benefit
was
vouchsafed
to
one
or
another
of
them
;
they
wondered
among
themselves
whether
they
would
be
asked
to
call
,
and
they
allowed
the
musician
to
talk
about
her
with
a
generosity
which
was
three
parts
diplomacy
.
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
presumed
upon
her
intimacy
with
the
musician
so
far
as
to
invite
Norah
to
stay
with
her
.
"
It
has
been
the
wish
of
my
heart
to
see
dear
Mr.
Digby
married
,
"
was
what
she
told
every
one
,
with
her
frank
smile
;
"
indeed
,
I
have
been
trying
to
get
him
a
wife
for
some
years
now
,
only
it
was
so
impossible
to
find
one
good
enough
.
I
have
no
doubt
that
Miss
Bisley
is
all
that
could
be
desired
,
and
one
must
leave
something
to
a
higher
power
sometimes
;
but
I
cannot
help
taking
a
little
to
my
own
credit
as
well
,
and
I
am
convinced
that
Mr.
Digby
would
never
have
thought
of
looking
out
for
a
wife
at
all
if
it
had
not
been
for
my
persuasions
;
he
was
far
too
fond
of
Ibsen
,
and
Schopenhauer
,
and
Bernard
Shaw
,
and
all
those
tiresome
people
.
At
all
events
,
I
never
allowed
a
week
to
pass
without
asking
him
to
dinner
,
and
the
picture
of
my
domestic
happiness
must
have
done
something
for
him
.
Ah
,
well
,
my
work
is
done
now
;
and
thank
God
my
ideal
of
friendship
is
too
high
to
stand
in
the
way
of
his
marrying
,
though
I
have
felt
towards
him
like
a
sister
,
and
it
is
hard
at
first
to
give
up
my
place
to
another
.
But
at
least
I
know
how
to
be
generous
,
and
she
shall
come
and
stay
with
me
at
once
,
so
that
there
may
be
one
friend
in
London
for
her
when
she
is
married
.
She
will
have
to
let
me
call
then
!
And
I
shall
be
able
to
give
her
a
hint
or
two
about
her
future
husband
;
I
'm
sure
no
one
could
know
him
better
than
I
do
.
No
doubt
she
is
one
of
those
artful
little
dolls
who
will
annoy
him
until
every
nerve
of
his
musical
soul
is
on
end
,
and
he
has
to
give
up
composing
;
and
what
will
posterity
do
then
?
"
Mr.
Reginald
Routh
,
who
never
did
anything
but
sign
blank
checks
when
he
was
told
,
was
sent
about
town
to
buy
the
most
expensive
dessert
service
he
could
find
;
and
when
he
brought
back
specimens
to
his
invalid
wife
of
choice
plates
with
floral
designs
,
he
was
sent
out
again
to
hunt
for
more
suitable
patterns
,
until
the
search
ended
,
as
his
wife
had
intended
it
should
,
in
a
whole
set
being
ordered
from
Paris
,
costing
a
guinea
a
plate
,
and
decorated
with
a
dainty
design
of
pink
cupids
playing
trumpets
and
harps
in
impossible
positions
.
The
Raleighs
,
as
a
family
,
were
glad
.
Owing
to
Norah
's
intervention
the
subject
of
Digby
's
first
marriage
was
allowed
to
be
mentioned
,
and
a
new
toy
was
brought
to
the
old
manor
in
the
shape
of
his
four-year
old
son
;
and
as
the
Squire
was
not
asked
to
support
the
child
,
and
as
he
learned
furthermore
that
Digby
's
new
wife
would
bring
him
money
,
he
raised
no
objection
to
his
marrying
again
,
and
allowed
himself
meanwhile
to
be
completely
enslaved
by
the
tyrannical
Sonny
.
The
musician
's
sisters
regarded
Norah
with
the
feelings
of
most
sisters
,
excepting
the
most
callous
;
that
is
,
they
wrote
affectionately
to
her
,
with
smiles
on
their
lips
and
murder
at
their
hearts
,
and
they
received
affectionate
letters
in
reply
,
which
they
declared
they
could
"
see
through
;
"
they
were
angry
with
every
one
who
did
not
approve
of
the
match
,
and
they
told
one
another
gloomily
that
she
was
sure
to
be
"
designing
;
"
they
drew
out
long
descriptions
of
his
intended
bride
from
the
musician
,
and
they
only
smiled
when
he
told
them
that
they
would
not
like
her
at
first
,
because
she
was
so
very
different
from
all
their
friends
.
Lady
Raleigh
,
who
had
always
expected
her
eldest
son
to
marry
an
opera
singer
or
an
actress
,
openly
showed
her
relief
at
his
engagement
to
an
ordinary
gentleman
's
daughter
,
who
did
not
play
or
sing
and
had
no
particular
talent
for
anything
,
who
had
never
wished
to
be
independent
and
to
leave
her
home
,
and
who
went
to
church
on
Sunday
morning
with
as
much
sense
of
duty
and
enjoyment
as
she
bestowed
on
her
breakfast
.
And
when
Norah
came
to
stay
at
Murville
Manor
,
the
impression
she
made
was
so
pleasing
that
even
the
suspicious
Digby
had
to
acknowledge
his
engagement
was
at
last
going
right
.
The
Squire
liked
her
because
she
never
complained
when
he
took
her
over
the
biggest
duckery
in
the
village
,
and
because
she
read
the
whole
of
his
pamphlet
called
"
How
to
make
£
50
a
year
out
of
ducks
,
"
without
disagreeing
with
it
.
Lady
Raleigh
liked
her
because
she
had
always
said
she
would
;
besides
,
Norah
agreed
that
England
was
the
only
place
for
Jack
.
The
boys
said
she
"
was
n't
bad
,
but
wanted
backing
up
at
times
,
"
which
was
a
kindly
criticism
considering
their
bitter
disappointment
at
not
having
Lady
Joan
for
their
sister-in-law
.
The
girls
fell
in
love
with
her
because
they
could
not
help
it
;
and
their
old
nurse
grudgingly
allowed
that
she
"
could
n't
have
been
nicer
brought
up
,
not
if
she
had
been
your
mamma
's
own
child
.
"
There
was
something
exemplary
about
Norah
which
always
made
her
do
the
thing
that
was
expected
of
her
at
the
right
moment
.
She
never
had
a
headache
when
the
boys
wanted
her
to
romp
with
them
,
she
did
not
hurt
the
children
's
feelings
by
speaking
French
before
them
,
she
always
wanted
music
when
Helen
was
going
to
sing
,
and
she
did
not
obtrude
her
affection
for
the
family
hero
in
public
.
Perhaps
this
last
evidence
of
good
breeding
had
more
weight
with
the
Raleighs
than
anything
else
she
did
.
Shortly
before
the
marriage
there
was
a
monster
reception
in
the
studio
in
the
West
End
.
All
the
lady
pupils
lined
the
walls
,
and
examined
critically
the
names
on
the
wedding
presents
,
and
wondered
enviously
where
Norah
bought
her
hats
,
and
manœuvred
anxiously
for
a
few
words
with
the
musician
.
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
,
in
consideration
of
her
being
an
invalid
,
sat
in
the
most
comfortable
chair
in
the
room
,
while
Lady
Raleigh
,
on
the
edge
of
an
extremely
straight-backed
one
,
had
to
listen
to
her
eulogies
of
Mr.
Digby
's
music
and
Mr.
Digby
himself
.
The
bride-elect
as
usual
played
her
part
excellently
;
she
made
her
way
through
the
toast-racks
,
and
the
plated
spoons
in
pale-blue
cases
,
and
the
pepper-pots
,
and
the
clocks
with
the
musical
devices
,
which
were
spread
out
on
little
tables
all
over
the
room
;
and
she
said
a
few
gracious
words
to
each
lady
pupil
,
in
which
she
thanked
her
for
her
particular
toast-rack
or
case
of
spoons
,
and
hoped
she
would
call
after
the
marriage
on
the
musician
and
herself
in
their
flat
in
Victoria
Street
.
And
she
ended
her
circuit
of
the
room
,
as
was
,
inevitable
,
beside
the
throne
of
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
,
where
she
relieved
Lady
Raleigh
for
a
time
,
and
whence
she
was
,
from
a
quick
survey
of
the
attitude
of
every
one
present
,
that
there
was
little
chance
of
being
relieved
herself
at
all
.
"
This
is
the
happiest
moment
of
my
life
,
"
murmured
Mrs.
Reginald
,
with
a
tremor
in
her
voice
;
"
you
will
excuse
my
foolish
tears
,
will
you
not
?
He
has
been
like
a
dear
brother
,
an
elder
brother
,
to
me
ever
since
I
have
known
him
,
and
it
is
natural
that
I
should
have
the
jealous
feeling
of
a
sister
in
seeing
him
belong
to
another
.
It
is
only
at
first
,
of
course
—
dear
me
!
what
a
terrible
tyrant
deep
affection
is
,
to
be
sure
!
Do
n't
mind
me
dear
,
I
shall
be
better
directly
;
"
and
she
applied
a
lace
handkerchief
to
a
perfectly
dry
eye
,
and
followed
the
passage
of
the
musician
among
the
wedding
presents
with
the
other
.
"
Why
,
there
is
that
forward
person
who
used
to
throw
herself
at
Mr.
Digby
's
head
last
season
,
"
she
continued
,
recovering
with
rapidity
,
"
Lady
something
or
another
,
—
came
into
the
title
by
a
fluke
,
I
believe
.
Who
is
the
handsome
fellow
she
is
flirting
with
now
,
eh
?
So
that
's
Jack
Raleigh
,
is
it
?
Oh
!
I
've
heard
about
him
.
Not
at
all
like
his
brother
,
is
he
?
"
"
He
's
very
nice
,
"
said
Norah
,
gently
.
"
Nice
,
is
he
?
Then
he
does
n't
know
what
he
's
got
hold
of
in
that
young
woman
.
I
suppose
she
thinks
as
she
ca
n't
get
one
,
she
'll
have
the
other
.
Have
you
been
introduced
to
her
,
my
dear
?
"
"
Yes
—
I
have
.
That
is
,
I
—
I
stayed
with
her
—
for
a
night
.
"
"
I
'm
not
surprised
at
that
.
She
wants
to
know
you
after
your
marriage
,
my
dear
.
That
is
where
you
will
feel
your
inexperience
,
when
these
designing
clever
women
come
and
play
upon
your
ignorance
in
order
to
get
at
your
husband
.
You
will
feel
the
want
of
some
nice
sensible
married
woman
,
not
too
old
,
who
has
been
through
it
all
,
and
can
help
you
to
see
through
them
.
I
've
no
patience
with
these
women
who
wo
n't
have
husbands
of
their
own
,
but
must
needs
go
running
after
other
people
's
.
Ah-h
,
Mr.
Digby
,
is
it
really
true
that
we
are
to
hear
the
last
movement
of
the
trio
this
afternoon
?
How
quite
too
lovely
!
"
The
musician
cleverly
introduced
his
father
to
her
at
this
point
,
and
hastened
off
to
the
piano
;
and
Sir
Marcus
,
who
had
not
been
enjoying
himself
at
all
in
a
circle
whose
interests
were
not
his
own
,
settled
himself
down
to
a
denunciation
of
town
life
,
which
necessarily
led
him
on
to
the
allotment
question
;
and
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
for
the
first
time
in
her
life
found
she
had
met
her
match
.
"
You
're
feeling
played
out
,
are
n't
you
?
"
Jack
Raleigh
was
saying
to
his
companion
while
the
instruments
were
being
tuned
.
"
Oh
,
no
,
only
bored
to
death
.
I
wonder
which
is
the
worst
,
to
be
married
or
musical
?
But
both
at
once
—
poor
Mr.
Raleigh
!
"
Jack
broke
into
a
laugh
,
which
was
hardly
warranted
by
the
smallness
of
the
joke
;
and
as
the
first
chord
was
struck
on
the
piano
simultaneously
,
Lady
Joan
's
reputation
was
not
improved
among
the
disturbed
audience
by
the
circumstance
.
At
any
other
time
she
would
have
enjoyed
the
shocked
glances
that
were
thrown
in
her
direction
;
but
this
afternoon
she
was
feeling
too
cross
to
be
perverse
,
and
she
hardly
waited
for
the
end
of
the
trio
to
take
leave
of
the
smiling
host
.
"
So
you
're
off
already
?
I
knew
you
were
played
out
,
"
said
Jack
,
whose
vocabulary
,
like
his
perception
,
was
limited
;
"
shall
I
let
fly
for
a
hansom
?
"
"
Oh
,
no
;
did
n't
I
tell
you
before
that
I
had
the
carriage
?
"
answered
Lady
Joan
,
impatiently
,
though
she
realized
the
futility
of
censuring
an
offender
who
was
always
blind
to
his
offence
.
"
And
I
can
see
myself
out
,
thank
you
.
"
"
But
—
you
will
let
me
come
with
you
?
It
's
beastly
foggy
out
,
and
something
might
easily
happen
,
do
n't
you
know
.
You
said
you
had
n't
brought
the
man
along
,
and
I
'd
sooner
see
you
through
,
'
pon
my
honor
I
would
.
I
wo
n't
bother
,
I
wo
n't
really
,
do
n't
you
know
,
and
you
can
fire
me
at
the
next
block
if
I
'm
in
the
way
.
That
's
straight
,
is
n't
it
?
"
In
spite
of
the
American
drawl
,
there
was
something
familiar
in
the
pleading
tones
of
his
voice
that
reminded
her
unpleasantly
of
an
incident
she
had
been
trying
to
forget
,
and
she
would
have
curtly
refused
his
offer
had
she
not
found
the
pale
eyes
of
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
fixed
inquiringly
upon
her
.
"
If
you
like
,
I
shall
be
delighted
,
"
she
said
,
with
a
sudden
show
of
graciousness
that
both
pleased
and
surprised
him
;
"
you
will
see
if
the
brougham
is
there
?
Good-bye
,
Mrs.
Routh
;
so
glad
to
see
you
looking
so
well
.
I
suppose
I
ca
n't
give
you
a
lift
?
Auf
Wiedersehen
,
Norah
;
shall
expect
you
both
to
lunch
to-morrow
;
do
n't
forget
.
What
detestable
weather
it
is
;
I
shall
go
and
vegetate
at
Relton
if
this
fog
goes
on
.
Is
it
there
,
Mr.
Jack
?
Oh
,
thanks
very
much
.
"
In
the
brougham
,
she
leaned
back
and
closed
her
eyes
,
and
wished
the
fog
did
not
make
them
smart
,
and
that
she
had
managed
to
evade
her
companion
after
all
,
in
spite
of
the
exquisite
annoyance
he
had
enabled
her
to
inflict
on
Mrs.
Reginald
.
But
Jack
guessed
nothing
of
her
thoughts
,
and
plodded
on
with
his
own
instead
,
which
all
related
to
her
and
to
a
certain
desire
that
filled
his
mind
at
that
moment
;
he
could
only
think
about
one
thing
at
a
time
.
"
I
say
,
you
—
you
did
n't
rightly
mean
what
you
said
just
now
,
did
you
?
"
he
began
slowly
,
as
they
stopped
in
the
Circus
in
a
dead
block
of
omnibuses
and
traffic
.
"
What
did
I
say
?
I
've
forgotten
long
ago
.
You
promised
not
to
bother
,
"
returned
Lady
Joan
,
shortly
,
which
was
not
encouraging
.
But
Jack
was
not
easily
snubbed
.
"
You
said
that
marriage
was
tommy
rot
,
do
n't
you
know
,
"
he
pursued
steadily
.
She
opened
her
eyes
wide
and
stared
at
him
.
"
I
did
n't
say
so
.
But
it
is
.
Why
?
"
"
Oh
,
well
,
you
know
,
because
I
do
n't
think
it
is
exactly
.
At
least
I
mean
I
do
n't
see
why
it
should
be
,
do
n't
you
know
.
"
"
Then
perhaps
it
is
n't
.
It
does
n't
matter
,
does
it
?
Oh
,
why
do
n't
we
go
on
?
"
"
I
say
,
how
jolly
smart
you
are
to-day
,
"
he
said
crossly
,
and
dropped
the
drawl
.
"
Why
?
Because
I
do
n't
wish
to
discuss
the
marriage
question
?
I
am
so
sick
of
it
.
If
that
is
all
you
want
,
go
and
read
Björnson
and
all
the
others
.
Modern
fiction
is
crammed
with
it
,
so
is
the
modern
drama
.
Your
brother
can
lend
you
crowds
of
books
about
the
marriage
question
—
he
wo
n't
want
them
for
a
year
or
two
.
"
She
ended
with
a
little
hard
laugh
.
"
You
know
I
do
n't
care
a
hang
for
the
marriage
question
,
"
he
said
sulkily
.
"
No
more
do
I
,
"
she
said
cheerfully
,
"
so
we
'll
let
it
drop
.
I
am
so
glad
you
are
not
modern
.
Do
you
know
,
the
first
night
I
saw
you
—
"
"
Yes
?
"
he
said
eagerly
,
as
she
stopped
.
It
is
a
sure
sign
of
comradeship
when
two
people
begin
comparing
notes
about
their
first
meeting
.
"
Oh
,
"
she
continued
carelessly
,
"
I
only
felt
relieved
that
you
had
no
views
and
no
ideas
,
and
did
n't
want
a
revolution
like
your
brother
,
and
never
fell
in
love
with
people
.
It
made
you
so
nice
to
flirt
with
,
that
was
all
.
Thank
Heaven
,
we
are
going
on
again
at
last
.
"
Jack
only
hated
the
policeman
for
letting
them
pass
;
the
fog
was
lifting
in
Oxford
Street
,
and
they
were
rolling
along
quickly
in
the
direction
of
Pont
Street
;
there
was
no
time
to
be
lost
.
"
Do
listen
seriously
for
once
,
"
he
suggested
;
"
why
should
n't
marriage
between
two
fellows
—
"
"
I
thought
we
had
agreed
to
let
it
drop
,
"
she
interrupted
impatiently
.
"
But
it
is
n't
the
marriage
question
.
It
—
it
's
marriage
itself
,
"
he
cried
desperately
,
and
then
held
his
breath
.
They
had
turned
down
Park
Lane
into
the
yellow
darkness
again
,
and
the
two
in
the
brougham
could
not
even
see
each
other
's
features
.
Outside
,
the
policemen
were
shouting
directions
;
within
the
carriage
,
Lady
Joan
was
leaning
back
far
in
her
corner
,
and
thinking
swiftly
.
Was
this
to
be
the
solution
of
all
that
had
been
puzzling
her
this
afternoon
?
It
was
not
often
that
Lady
Joan
was
depressed
;
but
when
she
was
,
a
yellow
fog
was
not
more
gloomy
than
her
mood
.
"
Do
n't
you
see
how
I
've
loved
you
all
the
time
?
It
's
not
my
form
to
gas
like
Digby
,
and
I
suppose
I
'm
a
bally
idiot
,
because
the
guvnor
always
says
I
am
,
and
of
course
I
have
n't
any
oof
;
so
it
's
all
confounded
cheek
on
my
part
,
it
is
really
,
do
n't
you
know
.
But
—
you
said
you
hated
to
be
married
,
so
why
should
n't
we
be
engaged
,
just
enough
to
stop
people
from
talking
,
do
n't
you
know
,
so
that
we
could
belong
,
sort
of
;
do
you
twig
?
I
'd
give
you
my
word
of
honor
to
go
back
to
the
States
,
and
work
like
a
nigger
till
—
till
you
sent
for
me
again
.
That
would
n't
bother
you
,
and
it
might
be
rather
jolly
,
do
n't
you
know
.
And
that
's
all
there
is
to
it
.
"
She
was
still
silent
.
If
he
had
known
that
she
was
comparing
his
proposal
with
the
one
she
had
had
in
the
summer
,
and
calculating
how
much
happiness
and
comfort
she
was
likely
to
get
out
of
his
romantic
attachment
to
her
,
his
ideal
of
her
might
have
received
a
shock
.
But
for
the
sake
of
ideals
some
thoughts
are
allowed
to
go
unread
;
and
he
only
noticed
that
she
moved
a
little
out
of
her
corner
,
and
he
at
once
drew
nearer
to
her
.
"
I
do
love
you
,
dear
,
"
he
said
tremulously
,
and
ventured
to
lay
his
broad
palm
on
hers
;
"
do
n't
you
think
—
we
might
—
"
One
of
the
blind
impulses
came
to
him
which
were
his
making
and
his
ruin
.
Lady
Joan
would
have
loathed
him
at
that
moment
if
he
had
done
anything
commonplace
,
or
waited
for
her
to
take
the
initiative
.
But
he
put
his
arm
round
her
waist
so
softly
that
she
scarcely
felt
it
.
"
May
I
kiss
you
?
"
he
whispered
.
CHAPTER
VIII
.
Two
years
later
,
the
musician
and
his
wife
went
down
to
Relton
for
their
Easter
holiday
.
They
stayed
at
the
"
Relton
Arms
,
"
although
they
had
a
warm
invitation
to
the
Court
instead
;
but
Digby
was
unusually
firm
in
his
determination
not
to
be
the
guest
of
Lady
Joan
,
and
Norah
's
objections
that
there
was
no
nursery
for
the
baby
,
and
that
people
would
"
wonder
,
"
were
for
once
overruled
.
She
satisfied
her
sense
of
the
fitness
of
things
by
telling
Mrs.
Reginald
Routh
and
her
set
that
there
were
early
romantic
associations
in
connection
with
the
little
old
country
inn
which
induced
her
and
her
husband
to
go
there
again
;
and
to
people
who
spent
their
lives
in
straining
after
unconventional
effects
with
a
conventional
reason
for
them
in
the
background
in
case
it
was
wanted
,
the
explanation
was
quite
sufficient
.
But
the
fact
remained
that
the
"
Relton
Arms
"
offered
insufficient
accommodation
for
a
baby
and
a
growing
boy
and
a
nurse
,
and
there
were
jars
in
that
holiday
in
consequence
.
"
This
is
what
I
like
,
"
exclaimed
the
musician
,
enthusiastically
,
at
breakfast
,
the
morning
after
their
arrival
:
"
fresh
eggs
and
milk
straight
from
the
cow
—
the
—
the
animal
I
mean
,
none
of
your
cooked-up
stuff
such
as
we
've
been
eating
in
Victoria
Street
.
I
ca
n't
think
why
you
do
n't
have
it
straight
up
from
here
,
Norah
,
instead
of
—
"
"
Because
you
said
the
eggs
at
the
Stores
were
just
as
good
,
dear
,
and
they
are
cheaper
;
do
n't
you
remember
?
"
said
his
wife
,
gently
.
Digby
wished
,
not
for
the
first
time
,
that
her
memory
were
less
reliable
.
"
Well
,
at
any
rate
,
the
milk
is
a
different
thing
;
just
look
at
the
cream
on
it
.
Baby
ought
to
thrive
on
stuff
like
that
,
ought
n't
she
?
"
"
That
is
just
what
I
am
anxious
about
;
It
has
only
upset
her
so
far
.
Hark
!
is
that
baby
crying
?
Precious
thing
!
Do
you
mind
managing
Sonny
's
egg
and
pouring
out
the
coffee
,
Digby
,
while
I
run
upstairs
?
"
"
I
am
inclined
to
agree
with
Plato
,
"
began
the
musician
,
earnestly
;
but
his
wife
was
gone
,
and
Sonny
was
clamoring
for
food
.
He
took
up
an
egg
,
and
then
almost
dropped
it
again
as
the
wooden
door
was
pushed
open
from
without
,
with
the
same
creak
as
of
yore
.
"
Auntie
Joan
,
Auntie
Joan
,
"
shrieked
Sonny
,
tumbling
off
his
high-chair
with
a
clatter
,
and
dragging
the
tablecloth
with
a
medley
of
spoons
and
knives
after
him
.
The
musician
was
thankful
for
the
diversion
at
that
moment
,
and
forebore
to
swear
as
he
set
his
son
on
his
feet
again
,
and
held
out
his
hand
with
a
smile
to
Lady
Joan
.
She
was
in
her
riding-habit
,
and
he
told
himself
that
she
looked
like
Diana
,
or
any
other
goddess
that
represents
the
woman
a
man
admires
.
"
Well
?
"
she
said
,
with
her
fresh
,
breezy
laugh
,
"
how
soon
will
you
be
tired
of
picknicking
and
ready
to
come
to
terms
?
And
where
's
Norah
?
"
"
Upstairs
.
There
's
a
draught
under
the
bedroom
door
,
and
Mrs.
Haxtell
has
quarrelled
violently
with
nurse
.
Baby
cries
perpetually
—
teeth
.
And
I
ca
n't
get
any
breakfast
.
That
's
all
so
far
,
I
think
;
"
and
he
laughed
as
heartily
as
she
,
and
they
bumped
their
heads
together
under
the
table
in
picking
up
the
fallen
utensils
,
and
came
up
again
with
red
faces
just
as
Norah
returned
with
the
baby
in
her
arms
.
"
Oh
,
is
it
you
,
Joan
?
So
glad
to
see
you
,
dear
;
sit
down
and
have
some
breakfast
.
Why
have
n't
you
poured
out
the
coffee
,
Digby
?
How
helpless
men
are
!
Take
baby
a
minute
,
will
you
?
There
,
you
have
set
her
off
again
,
just
when
I
had
quieted
her
.
She
has
taken
cold
in
the
night
,
that
's
what
it
is
.
Hush
,
hush
!
There
then
,
it
sha'
n't
,
that
it
sha'
n't
!
"
"
After
all
,
"
began
the
musician
in
a
momentary
lull
,
"
I
do
think
Plato
—
"
"
Will
you
give
Digby
something
to
eat
,
Joan
,
dear
?
"
interposed
Norah
gently
;
and
peace
presently
pervaded
the
breakfast-table
.
"
The
lambs
is
fat
,
is
n't
they
,
daddy
?
"
asked
Sonny
,
from
the
window-seat
.
"
How
does
the
lambs
know
,
daddy
,
which
sheep
is
their
right
mother
?
"
"
Confound
his
precocity
,
"
grumbled
the
musician
;
"
what
is
one
to
do
with
a
son
like
that
?
Besides
,
I
ca
n't
tell
him
myself
;
how
do
they
know
?
"
"
They
do
n't
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
promptly
;
"
it
's
a
fact
I
used
to
dispute
with
my
governess
in
my
youth
.
It
is
only
we
who
take
it
upon
ourselves
to
say
that
they
do
;
we
have
no
means
of
proving
it
.
The
sheep
takes
them
as
they
come
,
and
looks
equally
bored
with
them
all
.
"
Digby
laughed
loudly
,
and
Norah
murmured
something
in
a
pained
voice
about
maternal
instinct
.
"
All
nonsense
,
my
dear
,
"
persisted
Lady
Joan
,
gayly
;
"
no
amount
of
maternal
instinct
could
help
a
sheep
to
tell
her
own
lamb
from
any
other
sheep
's
lamb
.
Besides
,
why
should
she
want
to
?
As
it
is
,
she
can
have
a
change
without
being
called
fickle
.
Happy
sheep
!
"
Sonny
was
standing
with
his
legs
very
wide
apart
and
his
blue
eyes
fixed
on
her
face
,
as
she
said
this
.
"
Auntie
Joan
's
pertending
,
"
he
said
solemnly
.
The
others
laughed
,
which
awoke
the
slumbering
baby
again
;
and
Norah
,
after
complaining
between
its
wails
that
the
draught
under
the
bedroom
door
was
answerable
for
everything
,
carried
it
upstairs
again
by
way
of
curing
it
.
"
Well
,
what
is
it
?
"
said
the
musician
,
in
the
peace
that
ensued
on
his
wife
's
departure
;
and
he
lighted
his
cigarette
and
looked
across
at
Lady
Joan
.
"
How
did
you
know
there
was
anything
?
"
she
asked
.
"
I
always
know
,
"
he
said
,
in
a
superior
tone
;
"
we
have
n't
been
chums
all
these
years
for
nothing
.
Tell
me
what
's
up
,
dear
.
Has
n't
Jack
been
writing
to
you
,
the
scamp
?
"
"
Oh
,
yes
.
He
always
writes
.
He
is
quite
good
.
I
am
the
naughty
one
;
I
always
have
been
,
I
think
.
I
am
not
fit
to
be
engaged
;
it
is
true
what
I
told
you
—
that
day
.
"
They
were
very
fond
of
making
allusions
to
that
day
;
they
told
themselves
it
was
one
of
the
privileges
of
their
friendship
,
now
that
she
was
safely
engaged
and
he
was
securely
married
,
to
mention
subjects
which
were
not
always
even
respectable
;
it
did
not
occur
to
them
that
this
constant
renewal
of
back
chapters
in
their
lives
had
more
to
do
with
their
egoism
than
their
friendship
.
"
And
what
dreadful
thing
have
you
been
doing
now
,
please
?
"
asked
Digby
.
She
flung
back
her
head
and
laughed
mockingly
,
as
she
used
to
do
.
"
Do
you
remember
telling
me
that
marriage
was
the
only
way
out
of
it
?
I
am
half
inclined
to
agree
with
you
now
,
though
I
wrote
to
Jack
yesterday
to
break
off
our
engagement
.
That
is
all
.
"
Sonny
hummed
his
baby
ditty
on
the
window-seat
,
without
interruption
,
for
a
few
seconds
.
Then
the
musician
laid
down
his
cigarette
.
"
You
—
did
—
that
?
"
he
said
,
drawing
a
long
breath
;
"
what
a
wonderful
creature
you
are
,
Joan
!
"
"
Only
wonderful
?
"
she
said
lightly
;
"
are
you
sure
you
do
n't
mean
heartless
?
"
"
Why
did
you
do
it
?
Do
stop
laughing
,
"
he
urged
her
.
Her
eyes
flashed
angrily
.
"
What
do
you
mean
?
"
she
cried
;
"
do
you
think
I
am
heartless
?
"
"
Surely
not
,
"
said
the
musician
,
looking
along
his
cigarette
,
and
avoiding
her
direct
glance
across
the
breakfast-table
.
"
Then
why
do
you
say
I
am
?
"
"
I
—
I
did
n't
say
so
,
if
you
remember
,
Joan
.
The
word
entirely
originated
with
—
"
"
Oh
,
I
know
,
"
she
interrupted
impatiently
;
"
but
why
do
n't
you
think
so
?
You
ought
to
—
everybody
does
—
Norah
would
.
"
"
Norah
is
n't
—
Norah
ca
n't
understand
—
that
is
,
Norah
does
not
know
you
so
well
as
I
do
,
and
she
is
a
little
prejudiced
sometimes
—
"
stumbled
the
musician
.
"
Just
so
,
yes
,
"
said
Lady
Joan
,
gravely
,
and
there
was
a
pause
.
"
Then
you
agree
with
me
that
I
have
done
the
best
thing
under
the
circumstances
,
the
miserable
circumstances
?
"
she
began
again
in
a
few
moments
.
"
I
always
agree
with
you
,
"
said
the
musician
;
"
but
you
must
own
that
—
not
knowing
the
circumstances
which
—
which
led
to
your
course
of
action
,
it
—
it
becomes
difficult
—
"
He
yielded
to
a
nervous
desire
to
laugh
instead
of
finishing
his
sentence
;
and
Lady
Joan
,
after
a
desperate
effort
to
lose
her
temper
,
weakly
followed
his
example
.
"
Tell
me
why
you
did
it
,
"
he
said
more
naturally
when
they
were
grave
again
,
and
he
walked
round
the
table
and
leaned
over
the
back
of
her
chair
.
She
fell
into
the
rôle
of
the
penitent
child
.
"
I
could
n't
help
it
,
it
came
over
me
yesterday
that
I
could
n't
stand
it
any
longer
.
I
've
always
said
perpetual
engagements
would
not
answer
,
because
people
could
never
stand
the
awful
monotony
of
them
.
It
is
only
the
monotony
of
Jack
's
love
for
me
that
has
exhausted
my
patience
now
.
If
he
had
really
been
at
all
wild
after
we
were
engaged
,
which
every
one
was
so
fond
of
prophesying
to
me
,
I
think
I
might
have
got
to
love
him
too
much
to
give
him
up
.
But
—
oh
!
it
is
the
badness
in
me
I
think
,
Digby
.
Why
do
n't
you
scold
me
instead
of
looking
at
me
like
that
?
"
He
stroked
her
hair
idly
without
speaking
,
and
she
had
to
laugh
again
to
hide
the
tremor
in
her
lips
.
"
I
always
told
you
I
wanted
our
engagement
kept
secret
;
it
would
have
been
much
better
.
It
was
an
experiment
,
rather
a
disastrous
one
for
Jack
—
"
"
And
for
you
?
"
"
—
and
it
should
never
have
been
made
public
.
Engagements
never
ought
to
be
made
public
,
and
if
they
were
what
they
claim
to
be
they
never
would
be
.
It
is
because
they
are
such
miserable
,
heartless
arrangements
that
we
have
to
take
refuge
in
the
approbation
of
society
to
make
them
a
success
at
all
;
if
it
were
not
for
the
connivance
of
their
friends
I
do
n't
believe
people
would
ever
get
to
the
marriage
service
at
all
.
No
wonder
men
say
such
hard
things
about
women
;
we
simply
destroy
all
the
sentiment
that
is
in
them
by
our
eagerness
to
cash
it
at
once
,
and
then
we
go
in
for
a
cheap
cynicism
and
call
them
heartless
brutes
.
If
I
were
a
man
I
would
never
ask
a
woman
to
be
my
wife
,
never
,
never
,
never
!
At
least
,
not
if
I
were
in
love
with
her
.
"
She
spoke
rapidly
and
vehemently
,
and
the
musician
framed
her
face
in
his
hands
and
coughed
a
little
to
steady
his
voice
.
"
Poor
Jack
!
"
he
said
almost
inaudibly
.
"
Why
do
you
say
that
?
"
she
asked
,
in
the
same
tone
.
"
Because
he
might
have
married
you
,
and
he
has
just
missed
it
,
"
he
breathed
in
reply
;
and
their
heads
drew
closer
together
and
remained
so
for
a
few
seconds
.
They
had
had
enough
in
their
two
lives
to
make
them
either
sure
friends
or
enemies
.
And
morality
is
mainly
a
question
of
circumstance
,
and
largely
dependent
on
the
chances
of
detection
.
"
Why
are
you
so
good
to
me
?
"
she
asked
.
"
Am
I
?
"
he
said
with
a
smile
,
and
he
removed
one
of
his
hands
to
brush
off
the
ash
of
his
cigarette
.
"
I
am
only
what
you
make
me
.
I
have
always
been
in
your
hands
,
you
know
.
"
"
Rubbish
!
"
she
said
,
and
laughed
unnaturally
,
and
freed
herself
from
his
touch
and
walked
away
to
the
window
.
Norah
