't say she isn't awfully pretty."

"I don't say it." His voice rose to an excited falsetto. "She _is_
awfully pretty--extravagantly, preposterously pretty. And she'll have to
pay for it."

"Oh--we all have to pay for it."

"Sooner _or_ later."

"Poor Dora----"

"Poor Dora. Perhaps we have been rather brutal to her. She's good for
another five years."

"Only five years? And what will she do then?"

"Oh, she'll be all right. She'll rouge a bit, and powder a bit, and
dress like anything. You needn't be unhappy about Dora. I can tell you
Dora isn't going to be unhappy about you. Unhappiness would be extremely
unbecoming to her, and she knows it. It isn't particularly becoming to
any woman. You would be less damaged by it than most perhaps."

"You've never seen me unhappy."

"I hope to God I never shall."

"You needn't be afraid, Wilfrid, you never will."

"I wish," she said presently, "I wish you liked Dora Nicholson."

"I do like her."

"I wish you liked her as much as me."

"That's very noble of you, Kitty. But may I ask, why?"

"Because it would make things simpler."

"Simpler? I should have said myself that that was just where
complications might occur. Supposing I liked Dolly better than you, what
then?"

"Oh, that would make it simpler still."

"It certainly would be simpler than the other situation you suggest."

"It would for both of us."

"But why this sudden yearning for simplicity? And why Dora Nicholson?"

"There isn't any why. Anybody else would do, provided you liked them
better than me. It's only a question of time, you know. You're bound to
tire of me sooner or later."

"Later, Kitty, later. Barring jealousy. If you're going in for that, I
may as well tell you at once that I shall tire of it very soon."

"You think that's what's the matter with me?"

"Well, something's the matter with you. I suppose it's that. I should
drop it, Kitty. It really isn't worth while. It only makes you thin,
and--and I can't be bored with it, d'you see?"

"I don't want--to be bored--with it--either." She spoke very slowly. "If
you wanted to leave me for Dora Nicholson, I should be a fool to try and
keep you, shouldn't I?"

"Well--you're not a fool."

"You're not a fool either, Wilfrid."

"If I am I take some pains to conceal it."

"If a woman wanted to leave you for another man, would you try and keep
her?"

He looked at her attentively. "It depends on the woman, and on some
other things b