you must be reasonable. I dare not offend
these people with whom I have promised to dine, and apart from that, I
think it is very unwise that I should spend any time at all here with
you. You know what sort of a person it is whom we both have to
consider. She would turn us both into the street and treat it all as a
jest, if it pleased her. I tell you frankly, Violet, I have been too
near starvation once to care about facing it again. I am going to send
you back to the station in the car now. You can catch a train to
London almost at once."

Her face grew suddenly hard. She looked older. The light which had
flashed into her face at his coming, was gone. One saw now the
irregularities of her complexion, the over-red lips.

"You dismiss me," she said, in a low tone. "I have come all this way,
have waited all this time, and you throw me a kiss out of pity, and
you tell me to go home as fast as I can. Bertrand, you did not talk
like this a few months ago. You did not talk like this when you asked
me to marry you!"

"Nor shall I talk like it," he answered, "when we meet once more in
London, and have another of our cosy little dinners. But frankly, you
are doing an absolutely unwise thing in staying here. These people are
not my servants. They are hers. They are beyond my bribing. Violet,"
he added, dropping his voice a little, and drawing her into his arms,
"don't be foolish, dear. Don't run the risk of bringing disaster upon
both of us. You wouldn't care to have to do without her now. Nor
should I. It was a little thoughtless of you to come, dear. Do follow
my advice now, and I will try and make it up to you very soon. I shall
certainly be in London next week."

She rested in his arms for a moment with half closed eyes, as though
content with his words and his embrace. Yet, as she disengaged
herself, she sighed a little. She was willing to deceive herself--she
was anxious to do so--but always the doubt remained!

"Very well, Bertrand," she said, "I will go."

"You will just catch a fast train to London," he said, more
cheerfully. "You will change at Mechester, and you will find a
dining-car there. Have you plenty of money?"

"Plenty, thank you," she answered.

He walked with her out into the hall.

"Madame will be so sorry," he said, "to have missed you. The telegram
must have been a complete misunderstanding. Till next week, then."

He handed her into the car, and raising her fingers to his lips,
kissed them ga