two days,' said Smith.

'India ever since?'

'Nearly ever since.'

'They were making a fuss about you at St. Launce's last year. I fancy I
saw something of the sort in the papers.'

'Yes; I believe something was said about me.'

'I must congratulate you on your achievements.'

'Thanks, but they are nothing very extraordinary. A natural professional
progress where there was no opposition.'

There followed that want of words which will always assert itself
between nominal friends who find they have ceased to be real ones, and
have not yet sunk to the level of mere acquaintance. Each looked up
and down the Park. Knight may possibly have borne in mind during the
intervening months Stephen's manner towards him the last time they had
met, and may have encouraged his former interest in Stephen's welfare to
die out of him as misplaced. Stephen certainly was full of the feelings
begotten by the belief that Knight had taken away the woman he loved so
well.

Stephen Smith then asked a question, adopting a certain recklessness of
manner and tone to hide, if possible, the fact that the subject was a
much greater one to him than his friend had ever supposed.

'Are you married?'

'I am not.'

Knight spoke in an indescribable tone of bitterness that was almost
moroseness.

'And I never shall be,' he added decisively. 'Are you?'

'No,' said Stephen, sadly and quietly, like a man in a sick-room.
Totally ignorant whether or not Knight knew of his own previous claims
upon Elfride, he yet resolved to hazard a few more words upon the topic
which had an aching fascination for him even now.

'Then your engagement to Miss Swancourt came to nothing,' he said. 'You
remember I met you with her once?'

Stephen's voice gave way a little here, in defiance of his firmest will
to the contrary. Indian affairs had not yet lowered those emotions down
to the point of control.

'It was broken off,' came quickly from Knight. 'Engagements to marry
often end like that--for better or for worse.'

'Yes; so they do. And what have you been doing lately?'

'Doing? Nothing.'

'Where have you been?'

'I can hardly tell you. In the main, going about Europe; and it may
perhaps interest you to know that I have been attempting the serious
study of Continental art of the Middle Ages. My notes on each example I
visited are at your service. They are of no use to me.'

'I shall be glad with them....Oh, travelling far and near!'

'Not far,' said