s everything through poetry and philosophy. I should be
a brute if I soiled her mind. And, I say, old man, why don't your wife
and she see more of each other? Is it just the distance?'

'I'm afraid that has something to do with it,' Harvey replied, trying
to speak naturally.

'I'm sorry. They're both of them too good for ordinary society. I wish
to God we could all four of us go out to a place I know in Tasmania,
and live honest, clean, rational lives! Can't be managed. Your wife has
her music; Sibyl has her books and so on----'

'By-the-bye, you know Mrs. Strangeways?'

'I know _of_ her.'

'And not much good?'

'No particular harm. Sibyl saw a little of her, but I don't think they
meet now. Your wife know her?' 'She has met her here and there: you and
I are alike in that. We can't stand the drawing-room, so our wives have
to go about by themselves. The days are past when a man watched over
his wife's coming and going as a matter of course. We should only make
fools of ourselves if we tried it on. It's the new world, my boy; we
live in it, and must make the best of it.'

Hugh Carnaby drank more wine than is usually taken at luncheon. It
excited him to boisterous condemnation of things in general. He
complained of the idleness that was forced upon him, except when he
could get down to Coventry.

'I hang about for whole days doing literally nothing. What _should_ I
do? I'm not the man for books; I can't get much sport nowadays; I don't
care for billiards. I want to have an axe in my hand!'

Gesticulating carelessly, he swept a wine-glass off the table.

'There--damn it! shows we've sat long enough. Come and talk to Sibyl,
and let her give you a cup of tea. You never see her--never; yet she
thinks better of you than of any other man we know. Come, let's get out
of this beastly air. The place reeks of onions.'

They went to Oxford and Cambridge Mansions, where Rolfe spent the time
until he had to leave for his appointment with Cecil Morphew. Sibyl was
very kind, but gently reproachful. Why had Alma forsaken her? Why did
Harvey himself never drop in?

'I'm often quite lonely, Mr. Rolfe, and as one result of it I'm getting
learned. Look at these books. Won't you give me a word of admiration?'

There was a volume of Crowe and Cavalcaselle, one of Symonds's
'Renaissance', Benvenuto's 'Memoirs' in the original.

'I can't help clinging to the old world,' she said sweetly. 'Hugh
forgives me, like a good boy; and y