s to the main chance to see how she can benefit by it.

At last the whole thing was over, and Maurice and I had a cigarette
together in the tea room.

People would be crazy, "simply crazy, my dear chap," about Alathea, he
told me. She was "_seduisante_," how right I had been! How fortunate I
was! When was I going to England?

He said farewells after this, and once more _my wife_ and I were alone
in the brougham.

Alathea wore her mask. Having been received now as my wife, and by the
Duchesse whom she loves and respects, she knows she cannot go on
suggesting she will not live in the flat with me. She cannot bring
herself to speak about Suzette, because the inference would be that she
objects. I wondered if the Duchesse had been able to say anything to
her.

She did not speak at all and went straight to her room when we arrived.

It was five minutes past eight when she came in to the sitting-room.

"I am sorry if I have kept you waiting," were her first words.

At dinner we spoke ceremoniously of the party. And when we went back to
the salon she went straight to the piano and played divinely for an
hour.

The music soothed me. I felt less angry and disturbed.

"Won't you come over and speak now?" I called in a pause, and she came
over and sat down.

"Don't let us talk to-night," she said. "I am trying to adjust things in
my mind. I want to go to my mother to-morrow, if you will agree. She is
ill again, and has not been able to start. From there I will tell you if
I can force myself to keep on with it, or no."

"I cannot understand why it should be so difficult, the idea did not
affright you when we first talked of it. You voluntarily accepted the
proposal, made your bargain, promised to stick to it, and here after
three days you are trying to break out, and are insinuating that the
circumstances are too horrible for you to continue bearing it. Surely
your reason and common sense must tell you that your behaviour is
grotesque."

The same agitation which always shows when we talk thus overcame her
again. She did not speak.

"I could understand it better if you were a hysterical character. You
did not seem to be so, but now no ridiculous school miss of romance
could be more given to the vapours. You will absolutely destroy the
remaining respect I have for you, unless you tell me the truth, and what
is underneath in your mind influencing you to behave so childishly."

This stung her to the quick, as I had m