suppose every one in
London is getting in or out of these entanglements--or something of
the sort. And this seems a comparatively slight one. I wish it hadn't
happened. They do happen."

An expression of perplexity came into her face. She looked at him. "Why
do you want to throw her over?"

"I WANT to throw her over," said Benham.

He stood up and went to the hearthrug, and his mother reflected that
this was exactly what all men did at just this phase of a discussion.
Then things ceased to be sensible.

From overhead he said to her: "I want to get away from this
complication, this servitude. I want to do some--some work. I want to
get my mind clear and my hands clear. I want to study government and the
big business of the world."

"And she's in the way?"

He assented.

"You men!" said Lady Marayne after a little pause. "What queer beasts
you are! Here is a woman who is kind to you. She's fond of you. I could
tell she's fond of you directly I heard her. And you amuse yourself with
her. And then it's Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, Great Work, Hands Clear, Big
Business of the World. Why couldn't you think of that before, Poff? Why
did you begin with her?"

"It was unexpected...."

"STUFF!" said Lady Marayne for a second time. "Well," she said, "well.
Your Mrs. Fly-by-Night,--oh it doesn't matter!--whatever she calls
herself, must look after herself. I can't do anything for her. I'm not
supposed even to know about her. I daresay she'll find her consolations.
I suppose you want to go out of London and get away from it all. I can
help you there, perhaps. I'm tired of London too. It's been a tiresome
season. Oh! tiresome and disappointing! I want to go over to Ireland and
travel about a little. The Pothercareys want us to come. They've asked
us twice...."

Benham braced himself to face fresh difficulties. It was amazing how
different the world could look from his mother's little parlour and from
the crest of the North Downs.

"But I want to start round the world," he cried with a note of acute
distress. "I want to go to Egypt and India and see what is happening in
the East, all this wonderful waking up of the East, I know nothing of
the way the world is going--..."

"India!" cried Lady Marayne. "The East. Poff, what is the MATTER with
you? Has something happened--something else? Have you been having a love
affair?--a REAL love affair?"

"Oh, DAMN love affairs!" cried Benham. "Mother!--I'm sorry, mother! But
don't