released from him or from
the passion which we may suppose enslaves her.'

What he said was obviously true, and no reply was possible.

'The only thing is to grin and bear it,' said Arthur, rising.

'Where are you going?' said Susie.

'I think I want to get away from Paris. Here everything will remind me of
what I have lost. I must get back to my work.'

He had regained command over himself, and except for the hopeless woe of
his face, which he could not prevent from being visible, he was as calm
as ever. He held out his hand to Susie.

'I can only hope that you'll forget,' she said.

'I don't wish to forget,' he answered, shaking his head. 'It's possible
that you will hear from Margaret. She'll want the things that she has
left here, and I daresay will write to you. I should like you to tell her
that I bear her no ill-will for anything she has done, and I will never
venture to reproach her. I don't know if I shall be able to do anything
for her, but I wish her to know that in any case and always I will do
everything that she wants.'

'If she writes to me, I will see that she is told,' answered Susie
gravely.

'And now goodbye.'

'You can't go to London till tomorrow. Shan't I see you in the morning?'

'I think if you don't mind, I won't come here again. The sight of all
this rather disturbs me.'

Again a contraction of pain passed across his eyes, and Susie saw that he
was using a superhuman effort to preserve the appearance of composure.
She hesitated a moment.

'Shall I never see you again?' she said. 'I should be sorry to lose sight
of you entirely.'

'I should be sorry, too,' he answered. 'I have learned how good and kind
you are, and I shall never forget that you are Margaret's friend. When
you come to London, I hope that you will let me know.'

He went out. Dr Porhoet, his hands behind his back, began to walk up and
down the room. At last he turned to Susie.

'There is one thing that puzzles me,' he said. 'Why did he marry her?'

'You heard what Arthur said,' answered Susie bitterly. 'Whatever
happened, he would have taken her back. The other man knew that he could
only bind her to him securely by going through the ceremonies of
marriage.'

Dr Porhoet shrugged his shoulders, and presently he left her. When Susie
was alone she began to weep broken-heartedly, not for herself, but
because Arthur suffered an agony that was hardly endurable.

11

Arthur went back to London next day.