to the dear mystic!' exclaimed the old creature
scoffingly. 'What depths we're touching. Here's the first serious break
of his lifetime, and he's gone stark staring transcendental. Ah well.'
He paused and glanced quickly about him, with his curious bird-like
poise of head. 'But you're not alone here?' he inquired suddenly; 'not
absolutely alone?'

'Yes,' said Lawford. 'But there's plenty to think about--and read. I
haven't thought or read for years.'

'No, nor I; after thirty, my dear boy, one merely annotates, and the
book's called Life. Bless me, his solemn old voice is grinding epigrams
out of even this poor old parochial barrel-organ. You don't suppose, you
cannot be supposing you are the only serious person in the world? What's
more, it's only skin deep.'

Lawford smiled. 'Skin deep. But think quietly over it; you'll see I'm
done.'

'Come here,' said Mr Bethany. 'Where's the whiskey, where's the cigars?
You shall smoke and drink, and I'll watch. If it weren't for a
pitiful old stomach, I'd join you. Come on!' He led the way into the
dining-room.

He looked sparer, more wizened and sinewy than ever as he stooped to
open the sideboard. 'Where on earth do they keep everything?' he was
muttering to himself.

Lawford put the candlestick down on the table. 'There's only one thing,'
he said, watching his visitor's rummaging; 'what precisely do you think
they will do with me?'

'Look here, Lawford,' snapped Mr Bethany; 'I've come round here, hooting
through your letter-box, to tally sense, not sentiment. Why has your
wife deserted you? Without a servant, without a single--It's perfectly
monstrous.'

'On my word of honour, I prefer it so. I couldn't have gone on. Alone
I all but forget this--this lupus. Every turn of her little finger
reminded me of it. We are all of us alone, whether we know it or
not; you said so yourself. And it's better to realize it stark and
unconfused. Besides, you have no idea what--what odd things.... There
may be; there IS something on the other side. I'll win through to that.'

Mr Bethany had been listening attentively. He scrambled up from his
knees with a half-empty syphon of sodawater. 'See here, Lawford,' he
said; 'if you really want to know what's your most insidious and most
dangerous symptom just now, it is spiritual pride. You've won what you
think a domestic victory; and you can scarcely bear the splendour.
Oh, you may shrug! Pray, what IS this "other side" which the superio