at I should pretend!"

"No! What nonsense! It would be immoral. I may however tell you that
if I had to make a choice I would rather do something immoral than
something cruel. What I meant was that, not believing in the efficacy
of the interference, the whole question is reduced to your consenting to
do what your wife wishes you to do. That would be acting like a
gentleman, surely. And acting unselfishly too, because I can very well
understand how distasteful it may be to you. Generally speaking, an
unselfish action is a moral action. I'll tell you what. I'll go with
you."

He turned round and stared at me with surprise and suspicion. "You
would go with me?" he repeated.

"You don't understand," I said, amused at the incredulous disgust of his
tone. "I must run up to town, to-morrow morning. Let us go together.
You have a set of travelling chessmen."

His physiognomy, contracted by a variety of emotions, relaxed to a
certain extent at the idea of a game. I told him that as I had business
at the Docks he should have my company to the very ship.

"We shall beguile the way to the wilds of the East by improving
conversation," I encouraged him.

"My brother-in-law is staying at an hotel--the Eastern Hotel," he said,
becoming sombre again. "I haven't the slightest idea where it is."

"I know the place. I shall leave you at the door with the comfortable
conviction that you are doing what's right since it pleases a lady and
cannot do any harm to anybody whatever."

"You think so? No harm to anybody?" he repeated doubtfully.

"I assure you it's not the slightest use," I said with all possible
emphasis which seemed only to increase the solemn discontent of his
expression.

"But in order that my going should be a perfectly candid proceeding I
must first convince my wife that it isn't the slightest use," he
objected portentously.

"Oh, you casuist!" I said. And I said nothing more because at that
moment Mrs Fyne stepped out into the porch. We rose together at her
appearance. Her clear, colourless, unflinching glance enveloped us both
critically. I sustained the chill smilingly, but Fyne stooped at once
to release the dog. He was some time about it; then simultaneously with
his recovery of upright position the animal passed at one bound from
profoundest slumber into most tumultuous activity. Enveloped in the
tornado of his inane scurryings and barkings, I took Mrs Fyne's hand
extended to me woode