ow for blow. But I think the little woman holds him in. She says
she does.' 'Victor prompted you?' 'It occurred as it occurred.' 'She
does it for love of us?--Oh! I can't trifle. Dartrey!' 'Tell me.'
'First, you haven't let me know what you think of my Nesta.' 'She's a
dear good girl.' 'Not so interesting to you as a flighty little woman!'
'She has a speck of some sort on her mind.' Nataly spied at Dudley's
behaviour, and said: 'That will wear away. Is Mr. Blathenoy much here?'
'As often as he can come, I believe.' 'That is...?' 'I have seen him
twice.' 'His wife remains?' 'Fixed here for the season.' 'My friend!'
'No harm, no harm!' 'But-to her!' 'You have my word of honour.' 'Yes:
and she is doing you a service, at your request; you occasionally reward
her with thanks; and she sees you are a man of honour. Do you not know
women?'

Dartrey blew his pooh-pooh on feminine suspicions. 'There's very little
left of the Don Amoroso in me. Women don't worship stone figures.'

'They do: like the sea-birds. And what do you say to me, Dartrey?--I can
confess it: I am one of them: I love you. When last you left England,
I kissed your hand. It was because of your manly heart in that stone
figure. I kept from crying: you used to scorn us English for the
"whimpering fits" you said we enjoy and must have in books, if we can't
get them up for ourselves. I could have prayed to have you as brother
or son. I love my Victor the better for his love of you. Oh!--poor
soul--how he is perverted since that building of Lakelands! He cannot
take soundings of the things he does. Formerly he confided in me, in all
things: now not one;--I am the chief person to deceive. If only he had
waited! We are in a network of intrigues and schemes, every artifice in
London--tempting one to hate simple worthy people, who naturally have
their views, and see me an impostor, and tolerate me, fascinated by
him:--or bribed--it has to be said. There are ways of bribeing. I trust
he may not have in the end to pay too heavily for succeeding. He seems
a man pushed by Destiny; not irresponsible, but less responsible than
most. He is desperately tempted by his never failing. Whatever he
does!.. it is true! And it sets me thinking of those who have never had
an ailment, up to a certain age, when the killing blow comes. Latterly
I have seen into him: I never did before. Had I been stronger, I might
have saved, or averted.... But, you will say, the stronger woman would
not