n help him tremendously in many ways;
with the opera, I mean."

She stopped. Then she added:

"Adelaide Shiffney might have been of great use to Claude, too. But
before we were married he offended her, I think. And now, of course,
she's on the other side."

"I don't know whether I quite understand what you mean."

"She's on Sennier's side."

It seemed to Susan Fleet that Charmian was living rather prematurely in
a future that was somewhat problematic. But she only said:

"Don't let us make too much of it. I hoped you might learn from the
manuals not to worry. But while I'm here we can talk them over, if you
like."

"Yes, yes," said Charmian, changing, melting almost into happiness. "Oh,
I am glad you've come, even though it entails Adelaide for a day or two.
Of course she knows about the opera?"

"Yes, she does."

"I knew." She looked into Susan's face, smiled, and concluded: "Never
mind!"

At five o'clock that day the peace of Djenan-el-Maqui was broken by the
sound of animated voices in the courtyard. A bell jangled and a moment
later Pierre, with his most birdlike demeanor, ushered into the
drawing-room Mrs. Shiffney, Madame Sennier, her husband, and Max
Elliot.

"What a dear little house!" said Mrs. Shiffney, looking quickly round
her with searching eyes, while they waited for their hostess. "Nothing
worth twopence-halfpenny, but nothing wrong. I declare I quite envy
them."

"It's charming!" said Max Elliot.

"Love in a harem! Better than in a cottage."

Madame Sennier pushed up her huge floating veil and showed her powerful
face of a clown covered with white pigment. Her lips made a scarlet bar
across it.

"What is she like? I remember the man. He's clever."

"Oh, she--she is charming; thin and charming."

"That's well!" observed the composer. "That's very well."

He appeared to have quite recovered from his despair, and now looked
almost defiantly cheerful. Small in body, with a narrow chest and
shoulders, and a weakly growing beard, he was nevertheless remarkable,
even striking in appearance. His large nose suggested Semitic blood, but
also power, which was shown, too, in his immense forehead and strong,
energetic head. He had a habit of blinking his eyes. But they were fine
eyes, full of feeling, imagination, and emotion, but also at moments
full of sarcasm and shrewdness. His dark, hairy and small hands were
rather monkeylike, and looked destructive.

"Every woman should be thin and c