the whole talk to keep her face turned away.

But she found in the interview strength enough for the moment to baffle
temptation. To know that Gaga lay helpless there before her--hardly
moulded into recognisable form by the clinging bedclothes--was a
reinforcement to Sally's good will. His position appealed to the pity
she felt--the pity and the contempt. He was so thin and weak, so
exceedingly fragile, that Sally could not deliberately have hurt him.
Instead, she was bent upon his salvation.

"Bertram," she said. "We _must_ get away to-day. This morning. D'you
see? We _must_."

"O-o-oh!" groaned Gaga, in unformulated opposition.

"We _must_. We'll go to Penterby this morning."

"But my dear!" it was a long wailing cry, like that of an old woman.

"We've got to go. _Got_ to go. _I'll_ get _everything_ ready. You shan't
have to worry about anything at all."

"Sal-ly!" Again Gaga wailed. He tried to pull her down to him, gently
and coaxingly. In a sort of hysteria, Sally jerked herself free, looking
steadily away. Her mouth was open, and brooding resolve was in her eyes.
She was not tragic; she was in confusion, set only upon a single
purpose, and otherwise passively in distress. Obstinately she repulsed
him.

"It's no good talking. We _must_ go. I'm ill, as well as you. The doctor
says we must both go away. At once." She was so resolute that Gaga could
not resist her. He lay quite still, and for that reason she was forced
to look down at him. To Sally's surprise there was upon Gaga's face an
expression of such sweetness that she was almost touched. He loved her.
"There!" she murmured, as if to a baby; and bent and kissed him. Gaga
kissed her several times in return and continued to watch her, still
with that strange expression of kindness that was almost worship. He
stirred at last.

"I'll get up," he said. "I'll get up now. It's a ... it's a fine idea.
We'll catch the morning train, if we hurry. We'll be ... be there in
time for lunch."

Sally was in such a whirl of thankfulness that she flew to her dressing
and packing. She and Gaga were both downstairs and at breakfast within
half-an-hour, seated at the big dining-table, and looking very small in
that great room. As they sat, Gaga was so happy that he repented of his
promise to go away, and wanted to remain at ease in such pleasant
circumstances. He began to think of reasons why they should not go away
at all. He spoke with regret of the new flat, of their