lation between them which had emerged from
the tempest of emotion that Foster's congratulatory note had thrown her
into. The tempest had raged in solitude and silence; she had not spoken a
word to her sister, or to Jimmy Benyon, hardly a word to Quisante
himself. He had his case of course, and she was obliged to hear it, to
hear also Foster's own account of how he came to express himself so
awkwardly and to write as though Mr. Quisante had originally set the
story afloat, whereas he meant only to applaud the tact with which his
leader had regulated their conduct towards it after it was started. May
said she was quite sure he had meant only this, thanked him for all his
services, and begged the photograph. Quisante approved this bearing
towards the third party but was not deceived by it himself. When the
picture was set on the mantelpiece, he understood that his case was not
convincing, that the episode would not fall into the oblivion which he
had suggested for it; it would not be forgotten and could not be
forgiven. Deeply resentful of this treatment--for he saw nothing very bad
in his manoeuvre--he had been moved to protest passionately, to explain
volubly, and to offer pledge on pledge. Protests, plaints, and promises
broke uselessly against the cool, composed, indulgent friendliness of her
bearing. She gave him to understand that no pretences were longer
possible between them, but that they would get along without them. She
allowed him to see that the one fear left to her on his account was the
apprehension that some day he would be found out by other people. Here
her terror was as great as it had ever been, for her pride was unbroken;
but she did not show him the full extent of her anxiety.

"You ought to be particularly careful, so many people would like to see
you come to grief." This, or something like it, was what she had said, by
way of dismissing the subject for ever from their conversation with one
another. It expressed very well her new position, how she had abandoned
those mad hopes of changing him and fallen back on the resolve to see the
truth of him herself and make the best of him to others. But the very
calmness and friendliness of the warning told him how resolutely she had
chosen her path, while they concealed the shame and the fear with which
she set herself to tread it. One thing only Quisante understood quite
clearly; it was no use acting to her any more; what she wished was that
he should cease t