Left alone in a tumult of desires and repressions, Jenny felt she would
like to fling herself down upon the rugs and cry. Sentiment, for an
instant, helped the cause of tears, when she thought of the many hours
spent on that pile, drowsily happy. Then backwards and forwards went the
image of her lover in ludicrous movement, and the whole situation seemed
such a fuss about nothing. There was a merciless clarity about Jenny's
comprehension when, urged by scenes of passion, she called upon her mind
for a judgment. Perhaps it was the fatalism of an untrained reason which
taught her to grasp the futility of emotional strife. Or it may have
been what is called a sense of humor, which always from one point of
view must imply a lack of imagination.

Maurice came back and handed her the telegram.

Uncle Stephen died suddenly in Seville come home at once please
dear you must go out and look after aunt Ella

Mother

"She's fond of you, isn't she?"

Maurice looked puzzled.

"Your mother, I mean."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I think she's written very nice, that's all. I wish you
hadn't got to go away though."

"Yes, and to Spain of all places. This is the uncle I was telling you
about. I come into two thousand pounds. I must go."

"I wish you hadn't got to go away," she repeated sorrowfully. "Just when
the weather's getting fine, too. But you must go, of course," she
added.

Jenny wrung this bidding out of herself very hardly, but Maurice
accepted it casually enough. Suddenly he was seized with an idea:

"Jenny, this two thousand pounds is the key to the situation."

"What?"

"Of course I can," he assured the air. "I can settle this on you. I can
provide for you, whatever happens to me. Now there's absolutely no
reason why you shouldn't give way."

"I don't see that two thousand pounds makes _any_ difference. What do
you think I am?"

"I'm not buying you, my dear girl. I'm not such a fool as to suppose I
could do that."

"No, you couldn't. No man could buy me."

"I'm very glad of it," he said. "What I mean is that now I've no
scruples of my own to get over. This is certain. I know that if anything
happens to me, you would be all right. Jenny, you must say 'yes.'"

"I've told you I will one day. Don't keep on asking. Besides, you're
going away. You'll have other things to think about besides your little
Jenny. Only come back soon, Maurice, because I do love you so."

"Love me!" he scoffed. "Love