bobs up
again like a cork, irrepressible. HAVE you heard him quote: 'Frailty
thy name is woman!' or: 'If women could be fair and yet not
fond'?--It's as good as a play."

But altogether, Madeleine was very sharp of tongue since she learnt the
part Maurice had played in what, for a day, was the scandal of the
English-speaking colony. She had taken him to task at once, for his
"lamentable interference."

"Haven't I warned you, Maurice, not to mix yourself up in Louise's
affairs? No good can come of it. She breeds mischief. And if that
absurd child had really drowned herself"--in the version of the story
that had reached Madeleine's ears, Maurice was represented fishing
Ephie bodily from the river--"you would have had to bear the whole
brunt of the blame. It ought to teach you a lesson. For you're just the
kind of boy women will always take advantage of, a mean advantage, you
know. Consider how you were treated in this case--by both of them! They
were not a scrap grateful to you for what you did--women never are.
They only look down on you for letting them have their own way.
Kindness and complaisance don't move them. A well-developed biceps and
a cruel mouth--that's what they want, and that's all!" she wound up
with a flourish, in an extreme bad temper.

She sat, one dull November afternoon, at her piano, and continued to
run her fingers over the keys. Maurice leant on the lid, and listened
to her. But they had barely exchanged a word, when there was a light
tap at the door, and Krafft entered. Both started at his unexpected
appearance, and Madeleine cried: "You come in like a ghost, to frighten
people out of their wits."

Krafft was buttoned to the chin in a travelling-ulster, and looked pale
and thin.

"What news from St. Petersburg?" queried Madeleine with a certain
asperity.

But Maurice recalled an errand he had to do in town; and, on hearing
this, Krafft, who was lolling aimlessly, declared that he would
accompany him.

"But you've only just come!" expostulated Madeleine. "What in the name
of goodness did you climb the stairs for?"

He patted her cheek, without replying.

The young men went away together, Maurice puffing somewhat
ostentatiously at a cigarette. The wind was cold, and Krafft seemed to
shrink into his ulster before it, keeping his hands deep in his
pockets. But from time to time, he threw a side-glance at his friend,
and at length asked, in the tone of appeal which Maurice found it hard