the matter, she will say that she is the daughter of
an old English friend, and even if Coralie recognizes her as the girl
who was with me at Versailles, she will not dare to say a word about any
protegee of the Duchesse's. She is much too afraid of offending her,
being received at the Hotel de Courville herself on sufferance only
because of her birth and family. As for Maurice, I can manage him! Now I
am beginning to wonder what Alathea would prefer to do? I don't want to
see her until the ceremony, but I suppose I must.

The Duchesse has arranged that I should meet my _fiancee_ in her
sitting-room and sign the contract there on the day before the wedding,
five days from now. Alathea, she tells me is like a frozen image, but
faithful to her promise to me, my dear old friend has not made any
comment or tried to aid matters. I think she rejoices that I shall have
such an interesting time in the breaking down of the barrier.

Nina writes heartbrokenly; Johnnie was very dear to her; sorrow seems to
have brought out all that is best in her. She says she feels that she
just drifted along, taking all good and happiness for granted, and not
doing enough for other people, and that now she is going to devote her
life to making Jim happy and contented, and hopes some day, not too far
off, to have another child to care for. Darling old Nina! She always was
the best sort in the world.

Of Suzette I have heard nothing, although Burton says he caught sight of
her on the stairs just whisking into the flat above mine, which has been
taken by a lovely actress, a cousin of hers, who has married a rich
retired Jew _antiquaire_!

There are still possibilities of complications here!

But I feel quite serene, Alathea will be mine. She cannot get away from
me. I can insidiously, from day to day, carry out my plan of winning
her, and the tougher the fight is, the more it will be worth while
afterwards!

_November 6th._

To-day was really wonderful! Mr. Nelson has presumably seen Alathea and
her family several times. I have refused to hear anything about it, and
he arrived with her alone at the Hotel de Courville. I had understood
that her mother was coming with her, but she was ill and did not turn
up.

The Duchesse and I were talking when the two were announced. Alathea was
in a nice little grey frock and had her glasses on. I think she knew the
Duchesse would not approve of that camouflage, because there was an air
of defiance abo