laria apart from her
sex, on which he had so often accompanied her, of which even now he
could recall the delight though he had not thought of them since....
Carminow went on:

"But of course I don't agree with him; he only says that because he
always disapproved of the way poor old Eliot brought her up. Personally
I think it was a very healthy way, and I believe it will be for the good
of the race when women are made to exercise more. But Hilaria had the
seeds of this sclerosis in her then, and nothing can stop it;
over-exertion may have made it worse, as it does any illness, but it
couldn't have caused it. It's being mercifully rapid, that's one
comfort."

"It's ghastly," said Killigrew in a low voice. "Where is she, Carminow?
Have you seen her?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact I go when I can. I think it gives her
pleasure to see anyone from the old days. She's in a home for such
things in London. Her father lodges round the corner to be near her.
It's awful to see him. You know how he was about her.... She would be
brought back from France when they found out how bad it was. D'you
remember how her eyes used to give out sometimes when she was reading to
us? That was all part of the same thing, always in her, beginning to
come out."

A little silence. Both Ishmael and Killigrew were wondering if they
ought to go and see her or not, both fighting a repulsion of which
Killigrew's was more purely aesthetic and Ishmael's rather a passionate
wish to keep thought of such a thing away from life....

They had come to the parting of their way from Carminow's, and all three
were standing at the street corner under a flickering gas lamp.

"Well," said Carminow a little awkwardly, "I suppose now we've met I
shall be seeing you fellows again? I'm genewally in in the evenings when
I don't have to be on duty at the hospital."

It was Ishmael who replied:

"I shall probably be round some time soon," he said. "I shall want to
hear how the new drop worked, you know. By the way, what theatre is
Miss Grey appearing at? It might be interesting to go and see the
performance, mightn't it, Joe?"

"Oh, damn it all! I can only think for the moment of poor little
Hilaria," exclaimed Killigrew. "I used to be very fond of her.... I
wonder--"

"I'll find out if she'd like to see you and Ruan when next I go if you
like, but it's painful, because she can only get her words out in
jerks," said Carminow. "It's the Strand that Miss Grey'