he was still in love with Stella. She was
evidently beyond criticism.

"You needn't worry," said Michael. "I don't think she ever will."

"You didn't think Aunt Maud ever would," Alan pointed out.

"And, great scott, it's still absolutely incredible," Michael murmured.

Although in the face of Alan's prejudice Michael had felt very strongly
that Mrs. Ross had done well by her change of communion, or rather by
her submission to a communion, for he never could remember her as
perfervid in favor of any before, at the same time to himself he rather
regretted the step, since it destroyed for him that idea he had kept of
her as one who stood gravely holding the balance. He dreaded a little
the effect upon her of a sudden plunge into Catholicism, just as he had
felt uneasy when eight or nine years ago Alan had first propounded the
theory of his uncle being in love with her. Michael remembered how the
suggestion had faintly shocked his conception of Miss Carthew. It was a
little disconcerting to have to justify herself to Nancy, or indeed to
anyone. It seemed to weaken her status. Moreover, his own deep-implanted
notion of "going over to Rome" as the act of a weakling and a
weather-cock was hard to allay. His own gray image of Pallas Athene
seemed now to be decked with meretricious roses. He was curious to know
what his mother would think about the news. Mrs. Fane received it as
calmly as if he had told her Mrs. Ross had taken up palmistry; to her
Catholicism was only one of the numberless fads that made life amusing.
As for Stella, she did not comment on the news at all. She was too much
occupied with the diversions of the autumn season. Yet Stella was
careful to impress on Michael that her new mode of life had not been
dictated by any experience in Vienna.

* * * * *

"Don't think I'm drowning care," she wrote. "I made a damned fool of
myself and luckily you're almost the only person who knows anything
about it. I've wiped it out as completely as a composition I've learned
and played and done with. Really I find this pottering life that mother
and I lead very good for my music. I'm managing to store up a reserve of
feeling. The Schumann recitals were in some ways my best efforts so far.
Just now I'm absolutely mad about dancing and fencing; and as mother's
life is entirely devoted to the theory of physical culture at this
exact moment, we're both happy."

Michael told Alan what Stella sai