Ask
my official superiors, ask any of my colleagues, if they consider I've
nothing to offer."

He had an idea as he ceased speaking that she was on the point of
breaking out with some strong word of resentment at his allusion to the
contingent nature of her prospects. But it only deepened his wound to
hear her say with extraordinary mildness: "It's perfectly true that my
glories are still to come, that I may fizzle out and that my little
success of to-day is perhaps a mere flash in the pan. Stranger things
have been--something of that sort happens every day. But don't we talk
too much of that part of it?" she asked with a weary patience that was
noble in its effect. "Surely it's vulgar to think only of the noise
one's going to make--especially when one remembers how utterly _betes_
most of the people will be among whom one makes it. It isn't to my
possible glories I cling; it's simply to my idea, even if it's destined
to betray me and sink me. I like it better than anything else--a
thousand times better (I'm sorry to have to put it in such a way) than
tossing up my head as the fine lady of a little coterie."

"A little coterie? I don't know what you're talking about!"--for this at
least Peter could fight.

"A big coterie, then! It's only that at the best. A nasty, prim,
'official' woman who's perched on her little local pedestal and thinks
she's a queen for ever because she's ridiculous for an hour! Oh you
needn't tell me, I've seen them abroad--the dreariest females--and could
imitate them here. I could do one for you on the spot if I weren't so
tired. It's scarcely worth mentioning perhaps all this while--but I'm
ready to drop." She picked up the white mantle she had tossed off,
flinging it round her with her usual amplitude of gesture. "They're
waiting for me and I confess I'm hungry. If I don't hurry they'll eat up
all the nice things. Don't say I haven't been obliging, and come back
when you're better. Good-night."

"I quite agree with you that we've talked too much about the vulgar side
of our question," Peter returned, walking round to get between her and
the French window by which she apparently had a view of leaving the
room. "That's because I've wanted to bribe you. Bribery's almost always
vulgar."

"Yes, you should do better. _Merci_! There's a cab: some of them have
come for me. I must go," she added, listening for a sound that reached
her from the road.

Peter listened too, making out no cab. "Belie