s not satisfied with that letter," she went on. "On the night
when she had it--last night--she came to me to ask for an explanation.
I didn't want to give one. I did my best to avoid giving one. But when
I found she was obstinate, and would not drop this man unless I gave
her my reasons for warning her against him, when I found she had
even thought of marrying him, I felt that it was my duty to tell her
everything. So I told her--this."

And then she told him all the truth about the affair of the jewels,
emphasizing nothing, but omitting nothing. She looked away from him,
turned her eyes towards the fire, and tried to feel very calm and very
detached. It was all ten years ago. But did that make any difference?
For was she essentially different from the woman who had been Arabian's
victim?

Still Seymour sat as before and went on smoking. As she was gazing at
the fire she did not know for certain whether he was still looking at
her or not.

At last she had finished the personal part of her narrative, though she
had still to tell him how Beryl had taken it and what had happened that
day. Before going on to that she paused for a moment. And immediately
she heard Seymour move. He got up and went slowly to the table where the
whisky and Perrier water had been placed by Murgatroyd. Then she looked
at him. He stood with his back to her. She saw him bend down and pour
out a glass of the water. Without turning he lifted the glass to his
mouth and drank. Then he put the glass down; and then he stood for a
moment quite still, always keeping his back towards her. She wondered
what he was looking at. That was the question in her mind. "What can
Seymour be looking at?"

At last he turned round. She thought that his face looked unusually
stern, and his bushy eyebrows seemed--so she fancied--to be drawn down
low above his eyes.

"Go on--my dear," he said in a rather gruff and very low voice.

She quivered. She, perhaps, scarcely knew why. At the moment she really
believed that she did not know why. Suddenly emotion began to gain on
her. But she struggled resolutely against it.

"Aren't you--don't you mean to sit down again?" she said.

"No. I think I'll stand."

And he came slowly to stand by the fire.

"Well," she began again, making a great effort, "I thought that was all.
I didn't think there was anything more for me to do. But Beryl came back
again to-night and begged me to help her. She is terrified of what he
may do.