f his movements made his huge corpulence subtly alarming.
He was growing indeed strangely terrible in appearance. His eyes had
still that fixed, parallel look, but there was in them now at times a
ferocious gleam. Margaret was as beautiful as ever, but Susie noticed
that his influence was apparent in her dress; for there could be no doubt
that it had crossed the line of individuality and had degenerated into
the eccentric. Her gown was much too gorgeous. It told against the
classical character of her beauty. Susie shuddered a little, for it
reminded her of a courtesan's.

Margaret talked and laughed as much as her husband, but Susie could not
tell whether this animation was affected or due to an utter callousness.
Her voice seemed natural enough, yet it was inconceivable that she should
be so lighthearted. Perhaps she was trying to show that she was happy.
The supper proceeded, and the lights, the surrounding gaiety, the
champagne, made everyone more lively. Their host was in uproarious
spirits. He told a story or two at which everyone laughed. Oliver Haddo
had an amusing anecdote handy. It was a little risky, but it was so
funnily narrated that everyone roared but Arthur, who remained in perfect
silence. Margaret had been drinking glass after glass of wine, and no
sooner had her husband finished than she capped his story with another.
But whereas his was wittily immoral, hers was simply gross. At first the
other women could not understand to what she was tending, but when they
saw, they looked down awkwardly at their plates. Arbuthnot, Haddo, and
the other man who was there laughed very heartily; but Arthur flushed to
the roots of his hair. He felt horribly uncomfortable. He was ashamed. He
dared not look at Margaret. It was inconceivable that from her exquisite
mouth such indecency should issue. Margaret, apparently quite unconscious
of the effect she had produced, went on talking and laughing.

Soon the lights were put out, and Arthur's agony was ended. He wanted to
rush away, to hide his face, to forget the sight of her and her gaiety,
above all to forget that story. It was horrible, horrible.

She shook hands with him quite lightly.

'You must come and see us one day. We've got rooms at the Carlton.'

He bowed and did not answer. Susie had gone to the dressing-room to get
her cloak. She stood at the door when Margaret came out.

'Can we drop you anywhere?' said Margaret. 'You must come and see us when
you have