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ied the secretary, and roared at his joke. It put him into a better temper than ever, and he said at length: 'I suppose a fiver wouldn't be much use?--For a month, you say?--I might manage a fiver, I think.' 'It would be very useful. But on no account if----' 'No, no; I could manage a fiver, for a month. Shall I give you a cheque?' 'I'm ashamed----' 'Not a bit of it! I'll go and write the cheque.' Reardon's face was burning. Of the conversation that followed when Carter again presented himself he never recalled a word. The bit of paper was crushed together in his hand. Out in the street again, he all but threw it away, dreaming for the moment that it was a 'bus ticket or a patent medicine bill. He reached home much after the dinner-hour. Amy was surprised at his long absence. 'Got anything?' she asked. 'Yes.' It was half his intention to deceive her, to say that the publishers had advanced him five pounds. But that would be his first word of untruth to Amy, and why should he be guilty of it? He told her all that had happened. The result of this frankness was something that he had not anticipated; Amy exhibited profound vexation. 'Oh, you SHOULDN'T have done that!' she exclaimed. 'Why didn't you come home and tell me? I would have gone to mother at once.' 'But does it matter?' 'Of course it does,' she replied sharply. 'Mr Carter will tell his wife, and how pleasant that is?' 'I never thought of that. And perhaps it wouldn't have seemed to me so annoying as it does to you.' 'Very likely not.' She turned abruptly away, and stood at a distance in gloomy muteness. 'Well,' she said at length, 'there's no helping it now. Come and have your dinner.' 'You have taken away my appetite.' 'Nonsense! I suppose you're dying of hunger.' They had a very uncomfortable meal, exchanging few words. On Amy's face was a look more resembling bad temper than anything Reardon had ever seen there. After dinner he went and sat alone in the study. Amy did not come near him. He grew stubbornly angry; remembering the pain he had gone through, he felt that Amy's behaviour to him was cruel. She must come and speak when she would. At six o'clock she showed her face in the doorway and asked if he would come to tea. 'Thank you,' he replied, 'I had rather stay here.' 'As you please.' And he sat alone until about nine. It was only then he recollected that he must send a note to the publishers, calling
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