If you go to Athens you will, of course, have a delightful time. You
speak French; you will not have much to do. Only the sort of thing you
can do easily and well. Don't you want to see different places,
different things?... You are the man I have been looking for. There is
some very interesting society in Athens. You would be adored there. But
I know that's not what you care about."

"No; I have not the 'true Hellenic spirit.' But I want to be
independent. I am afraid I couldn't."

"I shall keep this thing open for a month," said Ridokanaki. "Come and
see me. All right.--Yes,--I must go.... You had rather write, not come
and see me, eh?"

"You see, I must consult----"

"Of course, you want to consult some one. But, listen. _Don't_ go by
women! That would be really a pity. They don't know what's good for
them." He laughed a little vaguely.

They both stood up.

"Mr. Ridokanaki, you have been more than kind. It is difficult----"

"Well, you'll think it over. Good-bye, Woodville."

Woodville walked away from the restaurant feeling wildly excited. Mr.
Ridokanaki made hideous faces in the mirror in his carriage as he drove
away and said to himself--

"He thinks I'm the Frog Prince, and he's Prince Charming. Useless! Waste
of time! What a fool I am! An evening thrown away! She'll never let him
go. He's too good-looking."

* * * * *

I have not given Mr. Ridokanaki's exact words in his soliloquy. This
book is intended for general reading.

CHAPTER X

THE THIN END OF THE WEDGE

Felicity was dressing to meet her husband at the station. She tried on
three new hats, and finally went back to one that Lord Chetwode had seen
before.

"It's too absurd," she said to herself as she drove off. "The
extraordinary long time he has been away! Of course I know that nothing
but racing or furniture takes him from me. What long letters he
writes--he can't be forgetting me! When I see him I never like him to
think that I mind. I think a husband ought to have perfect freedom; it's
the only way to keep him. It seems to keep him away! Very odd!"

Felicity arrived before the train was due. When it came in and no
Chetwode appeared, she blamed the porter and the guard, and asked to see
the station-master. He was very charmed with her, but could only
patiently repeat that there was not another train that day from the
remote little village where Chetwode had gone from Newmarket to pick up
an