about it softening the details for fear of shocking me. That boy
is too good to live, Polly. I've serious thoughts of recommending him to
throw up his commission and go into the Church. In his present frame of
mind he would obey me. Happy, happy child!'

'Never again,' said Mrs. Mallowe, with an affectation of indignation,
'shall you tiffin here! "Lucindy your behaviour is scand'lus."'

'All your fault,' retorted Mrs. Hauksbee, 'for suggesting such a thing
as my abdication. No! jamais! nevaire! I will act, dance, ride, frivol,
talk scandal, dine out, and appropriate the legitimate captives of any
woman I choose, until I d-r-r-rop, or a better woman than I puts me to
shame before all Simla, and it's dust and ashes in my mouth while I'm
doing it!'

She swept into the drawing-room. Mrs. Mallowe followed and put an arm
round her waist.

'I'm not!' said Mrs. Hauksbee defiantly, rummaging for her handkerchief.
'I've been dining out the last ten nights, and rehearsing in the
afternoon. You'd be tired yourself. It's only because I'm tired.'

Mrs. Mallowe did not offer Mrs. Hauksbee any pity or ask her to lie
down, but gave her another cup of tea, and went on with the talk.

'I've been through that too, dear,' she said.

'I remember,' said Mrs. Hauksbee, a gleam of fun on her face. 'In '84,
wasn't it? You went out a great deal less next season.'

Mrs. Mallowe smiled in a superior and Sphinx-like fashion.

'I became an Influence,' said she.

'Good gracious, child, you didn't join the Theosophists and kiss
Buddha's big toe, did you? I tried to get into their set once, but they
cast me out for a sceptic without a chance of improving my poor little
mind, too.'

'No, I didn't Theosophilander. Jack says--'

'Never mind Jack. What a husband says is known before. What did you do?'

'I made a lasting impression.'

'So have I for four months. But that didn't console me in the least. I
hated the man. Will you stop smiling in that inscrutable way and tell me
what you mean?'

Mrs. Mallowe told.

'And you mean to say that it is absolutely Platonic on both sides?'

'Absolutely, or I should never have taken it up.'

'And his last promotion was due to you?'

Mrs. Mallowe nodded.

'And you warned him against the Topsham Girl?'

Another nod.

'And told him of Sir Dugald Delane's private memo about him?'

A third nod.

'Why?'

'What a question to ask a woman! Because it amused me at first. I am
proud of my property