street."

"I don't wonder the socialists won't have anything to do with you."

"Because I'm not a feminist? I know. Just as the feminists won't have
anything to do with you because you're so reactionary. We're both out of
it. Fifty years ago; either of us could have been a real prophet, for
the price of a hall and cleaning the rotten eggs off our clothes. Now
we're too timid for any use. But this is a digression."

"Distinctly. Is there anything more about Ferguson?"

"I should say there was. About a year ago, he became engaged. She's a
very nice girl, and I am sure you never heard of her. The engagement
wasn't to be announced until just before the marriage, for family
reasons of some sort--cockering the older generation somehow. I've
forgotten; it's not important. But they would have been married by now,
if Ferguson hadn't stepped out."

"You seem to have been very intimate with Ferguson."

"He talked to me once--just once. The girl was a distant connection of
my own. I think that was why. Now I've got some more things to tell you.
I've let you interrupt a good lot, and if you're through, I'd like to
start in on the next lap. It isn't easy for me to tell this thing in
bits. It's an effort."

Havelock the Dane set down his second emptied glass and drew a long
breath. He proceeded, with quickened pace.

III

"He didn't see the girl very often. She lives at some little distance.
He was busy,--you know how he worked,--and she was chained at home, more
or less. Occasionally he slipped away for a week-end, to see her. One
time--the last time, about two months ago--he managed to get in a whole
week. It was as near happiness as Ferguson ever got, I imagine; for they
were able to fix a date. Good heaven, how he loved that girl! Just
before he went, he told me of the engagement. I barely knew her, but, as
I said, she's some sort of kin. Then, after he came back, he sent for me
to come and see him. I didn't like his cheek, but I went as though I had
been a laboratory boy. I'm not like you. Ferguson always did get me. He
wanted the greatest good of the greatest number. Nothing petty about
him. He was a big man.

"I went, as I say. And Ferguson told me, the very first thing, that the
engagement was off. He began by cocking his hair a good deal. But he
almost lost control of himself. He didn't cock it long: he ruffled it
instead, with his hands. I thought he was in a queer state, for he
seemed to want to give me, with