t Lady Mildmay had
suggested. He inspired May, as he did sometimes now, with a malicious
wish to make him show himself at his trickiest. Fingering the prospectus
carelessly, she asked,

"I suppose it sets out all the wonderful merits of the Alethea, doesn't
it? Well, I've heard a good deal about them. I don't think I need read
it."

"It gives a full account of the invention," said Quisante, wearily
passing his hand across his brow.

"Have you put in Professor Maturin's report?" She was not looking at him,
but smiling over to Mr. Foster on the mantelpiece. There was a moment's
pause.

"The facts about Maturin are fully stated. You'll find it on the third
page." He rose with a sigh and threw himself on the sofa; he groaned a
little and shut his eyes. May glanced at him, smiled, and turned to the
third page.

"In addition to the foregoing very authoritative opinions, steps were
taken to obtain a report from the late Professor Maturin, F.R.S.
Professor Maturin was very favourably impressed with several features of
the invention, and was about to pursue his investigations with the aid of
further information furnished to him, when he was unfortunately attacked
by the illness of which he recently died. The Directors therefore regret
to be unable to present any report of his examination. But they have
every reason to believe that his opinion would have been no less
encouraging than those of the other gentlemen consulted."

May turned back to the list of directors. Three out of the six she did
not know; the other three were Quisante himself, Jimmy Benyon, and Sir
Winterton Mildmay. The presence of these two last names filled May with a
feeling of helplessness; this was worse than she had expected. Of course
neither Jimmy nor Sir Winterton had heard anything about the Maturin
report; of the other three she knew nothing and took no thought. Jimmy,
not warned, alas, by that affair of old Foster's note, and Sir Winterton,
in the chivalrous confidence of perfect trust, had given their support to
Quisante. The use he made of their names was to attach them to a
statement which she who knew of the Maturin report could describe only in
one way. She looked round at her husband's pale face and closed eyes.

"I thought you were supposed to tell the--I mean, to state all the facts
in a prospectus?" she said.

Quisante sat up suddenly, leant forward, and spread his hands out. "My
dear May," he replied with a smile, "the facts are st