y; I am glad to say that I gave utterance to none of them. We were
both in the affair, and he is a poor sort of villain who comforts
himself by abusing his accomplice.

"You're tired?" I asked gently.

"Very. But it has been delightful. M. de Varvilliers has been so kind."

"He's a delightful fellow, Varvilliers. Come, let me take you in, and
we'll send these madcaps to bed."

She put her hand on my arm in a friendly trustful fashion, and I found
her eyes fixed on mine with a puzzled regretful look. We walked most of
the way along the terrace before she spoke.

"You're not angry with me, Augustin?"

"Good heavens, no, my dear," said I.

"I'm very fond of you," she said again as we reached the window.

At last they were ready for bed--all save myself. I watched them as they
trooped away, Elsa on Victoria's arm. Varvilliers came up to me, smiling
in the intervals that he snatched from a series of yawns.

"A splendid evening!" he said. "You surpassed yourself, sire."

"I believe I did," said I. "Go to bed, my friend."

"And you?"

"Presently. I'm not sleepy yet."

"Marvellous!" said he, with a last laugh and a last yawn.

For a few moments I stood alone in the room. There were no servants
about; they had given up waiting for us, and the lights were to burn at
Artenberg till the hour of rising. I lit a cigarette and went out on the
terrace again. I had no doubt that Wetter would keep his tryst. I was
right; he was there.

"Well, how did you speed?" he asked with a smile.

"Marvellously well," said I.

He took hold of the lapels of my coat and looked at me curiously.

"Your love scene was short," he said.

"Perhaps. It was long enough."

"To do what?"

"To define the situation."

"Did it need definition?"

"I thought so half an hour ago."

"Ah, well, the evening has been a strange one, hasn't it?"

"Let's walk down to the river through the woods," said I. "I'll put you
across to Waldenweiter."

He acquiesced, and I put my arm through his. Presently he said in a low
voice:

"The dance, the wine, the night."

"Yes, yes, I know," I cried. "My God, I knew even when I spoke to her.
She saw that a brute asked her, not a man."

"Perhaps, perhaps not; they don't see everything. She shrank from you?"

"The tears were very ready."

"Ah, those tears! Heavens, why have we no such appeals? What matter,
though? You don't love her."

"Do you want me to call myself a brute again? Wetter, any other g