er it all again. Whatever others may say,
or think, I shall still, at least so long as nothing occurs to the
contrary, keep firmly to my present convictions. Mr Bethany has assured
me repeatedly that he has no--no misgivings; that he understands. And
even if I still doubted, which I don't, Arthur, though it would be
rather trying to have to accept one's husband at second-hand, as it
were, I should have to be satisfied. I dare say even such an unheard-of
thing as what we are discussing now, or something equally ghastly, does
occur occasionally. In foreign countries, perhaps. I have not studied
such things enough to say. We were all very much restricted in our
reading as children, and I honestly think, not unwisely. It is enough
for the present to repeat that I do believe, and that whatever may
happen--and I know absolutely nothing about the procedure in such
cases--but whatever may happen, I shall still be loyal; I shall always
have your interests at heart.' Her words faltered and she turned her
head away. 'You did love me once, Arthur, I can't forget that.' The
contralto voice trembled ever so little, and the gloved hand smoothed
gently the brass knob beneath.

'If,' said Lawford, resting his face on his hands, and curiously
watching the while his moving reflection in the looking-glass before
him--'if I said I still loved you, what then?

'But you have already denied it, Arthur.'

'Yes; but if I said that that too was said only in haste, that brooding
over the trouble this--this metamorphosis was bringing on us all had
driven me almost beyond endurance: supposing that I withdrew all that,
and instead said now that I do still love you, just as I--' he turned a
little, and turned back again, 'like this?'

Sheila paused. 'Could ANY woman answer such a question?' she almost
sighed at last.

'Yes, but,' Lawford pressed on, in a voice almost naive and stubborn as
a child's, 'If I tried to--to make you? I did once, Sheila.'

'I can't, I can't conceive such a position. Surely that alone is almost
as frantic as it is heartless! Is it, is it even right?'

'Well, I have not actually asked it. I own,' he added moodily, almost
under his breath, 'it would be--dangerous.... But there, Sheila, this
poor old mask of mine is wearing out. I am somehow convinced of that.
What will be left, God only knows. You were saying--' He rose abruptly.
'Please, please sit down,' he said; 'I did not notice you were
standing.'

'I shall not k