saw me.'

'I don't think much of her after what I have seen tonight,' said
Christopher, moodily recurring to a previous thought.

'Why? What is the matter?'

'I thought I would call on her this afternoon, but when I got there I
found she had left early for the performance. So in the evening, when I
thought it would be all over, I went to the private door of the Hall to
speak to her as she came out, and ask her flatly a question or two which
I was fool enough to think I must ask her before I went to bed. Just as
I was drawing near she came out, and, instead of getting into the
brougham that was waiting for her, she went round the corner. When she
came back a man met her and gave her something, and they stayed talking
together two or three minutes. The meeting may certainly not have been
intentional on her part; but she has no business to be going on so coolly
when--when--in fact, I have come to the conclusion that a woman's
affection is not worth having. The only feeling which has any dignity or
permanence or worth is family affection between close blood-relations.'

'And yet you snub me sometimes, Mr. Kit.'

'And, for the matter of that, you snub me. Still, you know what I
mean--there's none of that off-and-on humbug between us. If we grumble
with one another we are united just the same: if we don't write when we
are parted, we are just the same when we meet--there has been some
rational reason for silence; but as for lovers and sweethearts, there is
nothing worth a rush in what they feel!'

Faith said nothing in reply to this. The opinions she had formed upon
the wisdom of her brother's pursuit of Ethelberta would have come just
then with an ill grace. It must, however, have been evident to
Christopher, had he not been too preoccupied for observation, that
Faith's impressions of Ethelberta were not quite favourable as regarded
her womanhood, notwithstanding that she greatly admired her talents.

22. ETHELBERTA'S HOUSE

Ethelberta came indoors one day from the University boat-race, and sat
down, without speaking, beside Picotee, as if lost in thought.

'Did you enjoy the sight?' said Picotee.

'I scarcely know. We couldn't see at all from Mrs. Belmaine's carriage,
so two of us--very rashly--agreed to get out and be rowed across to the
other side where the people were quite few. But when the boatman had us
in the middle of the river he declared he couldn't land us on the other
side because o