Ah; you do see it then!" Betty from the sofa where she sat erect, her
hands in her muff, almost joyfully declared. "You do see, then, what she
is after!"

He didn't intend to let Betty see what he saw, if that were now
possible. "She's after Karen, of course; but why not? It's a jealous and
exacting affection, that is evident; but as long as Karen cares to
satisfy it I'm quite pleased that she should. I can't declare war on
Madame von Marwitz, Betty, even if I wanted to. Because, if she is fond
of Karen, Karen is ten times fonder of her."

"Expose her to Karen!" Betty magnificently urged. "You can I'm sure.
You're been seeing things more and more clearly, just as I have; you've
been seeing that Madame von Marwitz, as far as her character goes, is a
fraud. Trip her up. Have things out. Gregory, I warn you, she's a
dangerous woman, and Karen is a very simple one."

"But that's just it, my dear Betty. If Karen is too simple to see, now,
that she's dangerous, how shall I make her look so? It's I who'll look
the jealous idiot Mrs. Forrester thinks me," Gregory half mused to
himself. "And, besides, I really don't know that I should want to trip
her up. I don't know that I should like to have Karen disillusioned.
She's a fraud if you like, and Karen, as I say, is ten times fonder of
her than she is of Karen; but she is fond of Karen; I do believe that.
And she has been a fairy-godmother to her. And they have been through
all sorts of things together. No; their relationship is one that has its
rights. I see it, and I intend to make Madame von Marwitz feel that I
see it. So that my only plan is to go on being suave and acquiescent."

"Well; you may have to sacrifice me, then. Karen is indignant with me, I
warn you."

"I'm a resourceful person, Betty. I shan't sacrifice you. And you must
be patient with Karen."

Betty, who had risen, stood for a moment looking at the Bouddha.
"Patient? I should think so. She is the one I'm sorriest for. Are you
going to keep that ridiculous thing in here permanently, Gregory?"

"It's symbolic, isn't it?" said Gregory. "It will stay here, I suppose,
as long as Madame von Marwitz and Karen go on caring for each other.
With all my griefs and suspicions I hope that the Bouddha is a fixture."

He felt, after Betty had gone, that he had burned a good many of his
boats in thus making her, to some extent, his confidant. He had
confessed that he had griefs and suspicions, and that, in itself, was