reyness of New England and the lovely immortalities of Italy.
When they saw the smoke far down the track, she stopped, still leaning
on Lydia.

"You've been a droll imp," she said. "If I had money I'd take you with
me and amuse myself seeing you in Italy. Your imp's eyes would be
rounder than they are now, and you'd fall in love with some handsome
scamp and find him out and grow up and leave him and we'd take an
apartment and sit there and laugh at everything. You can tell Jeff--"
the train was really nearing now and she bent and spoke at Lydia's
ear--"tell him he's going to be a free man, and if he doesn't make use
of his freedom he's a fool. She's going to run away. With Reardon."

"Who's going to run away?" Lydia shrilled up into her face. "Not
Esther?"

"Esther, to be sure. I gather they're off to-night. That's why I'm going
this morning. I don't want to be concerned in the silly business, though
when they're over there I shall make a point of looking them up. He'd
pay me anything to get rid of me."

The train was in, and her foot was on the step. But Lydia was holding
her back, her little face one sharp interrogation.

"Not to Europe?" she said. "You don't mean they're going to Europe?"

"Of course I do," said Madame Beattie, extricating herself. "Where else
is there to go? No, I sha'n't say another word. I waited till you
wouldn't have a chance to question me. Tell Jeff, but not till to-morrow
morning. Then they'll be gone and it won't be his responsibility.
Good-bye, imp."

She did not threaten Lydia with envelopment in her richness of velvet
and fur. Instead, to Lydia's confusion and wonder, ever-growing when she
thought about it afterward, she caught up her hand and gave it a light
kiss. Then she stepped up into the car and was borne away.

"I don't believe it," said Lydia aloud, and she walked off, glancing
down once at the hand that had been kissed and feeling gravely moved by
what seemed to her an honour from one of Madame Beattie's standing.
Lydia was never to forget that Madame Beattie had been a great lady, in
a different sense from inherited power and place. She was of those who
are endowed and to whom the world must give something because they have
given it so much. Should she obey her, and tell Jeff after the danger of
his stopping Esther was quite past? Lydia thought she would. And she
owned to herself the full truth about it. She did not for an instant
think she ought to keep her knowledge i