ave his regards. But when the story
leaked out, as it soon did, in an exaggerated and distorted form, he
straightway ceased his visits. Thus he was wholly unprepared for the
family's hurried departure, the news of which was broken to him by
Maurice. Dove was dumbfounded. Not a single sententious phrase crossed
his lips; and he remained unashamed of the moisture that dimmed his
eyes. But he maintained his bearing commendably; and it was impossible
not to admire the upright, manly air with which he walked down the
street.

The next day, however, he returned, and was silent no longer. He made
no secret of having been hard hit; just as previously he had let his
friends into his hopes and intentions, so now every one heard of his
reverses. He felt a tremendous need of unbosoming himself; he had been
so sure of success, or, at least, so unthinking of failure, and the
blow to his selfesteem was a rude one.

Maurice sat with his hands in his pockets, and tried to urge reason.
But Dove would not admit even the possibility of his having been
mistaken. He had received innumerable proofs of Ephie's regard for him.

"Remember how young she was! Girls of that age never know their own
minds," said Maurice. But Dove was inclined to take Johanna's sterner
view, and to cry: "So young and so untender!" for which he, too,
substituted "untrue"; and, just on this score, to deduce unfavourable
inferences for Ephie's whole moral character. As Maurice listened to
him, he could not help thinking that Johanna's affection had been of
the same nature as Dove's, in other words, had had a touch of the
masculine about it: it had existed only as long as it could guide and
subordinate; it denied to its object any midget attempt at individual
life; it set up lofty moral standards, and was implacable when a
smaller, frailer being found it impossible to live up to them.

At the same time, he was sorry for Dove, who, in his blindness, had
laid himself open to receive this snubbing; and he listened patiently,
even a thought flattered by his confidence, until he learnt from
Madeleine that Dove was making the round of his acquaintances, and
behaving in the same way to anyone who would let him. Then he found
that the openness with which Dove related his past hopes, and the marks
of affection Ephie had given him, bordered on indecency. He said so,
with a wrathful frankness; but Dove could not see it in that light, and
was not offended.

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