arm-chair.

Mr. Vyvian stared at Peter's back, which was the part of him most visible
at the moment.

"I really can't say I have the pleasure; no." (That, Peter felt certain,
was an insolent drawl.)

"Would you like to learn it?" said Peter politely. "Are you fond of
patience?"

"I can't say I am," said Mr. Vyvian.

"Oh! Then you _would_ like calcul. People who are really fond of other
patiences don't; they despise it because it comes out. I don't like any
other sort of patience; I'm not clever enough; so I like this. Let me
teach you, may I?"

Vyvian got up.

"Thanks; you're quite too kind. On the whole, I think I can conduct my
life without any form of patience, even one which comes out."

"You have a turn, then, Miss Johnson," said Peter, arranging the cards.
"Perhaps it'll come out for you, though it won't for me to-night."

"Since you are all so profitably occupied," said Vyvian, "I think I will
say good night."

Peter said, "Oh, must you?... Good night, then. We play calcul most
nights, so you can learn it some other time if you'd like to."

"A delightful prospect," Vyvian murmured, his glance again
comprehensively wandering round the room. "A happy family party you seem
here.... Good night." He bent over Rhoda with his ironic politeness.

"I was going to ask you if you would come out with me to-morrow evening
to a theatre.... But since your evenings seem to be so pleasantly filled
otherwise...."

She looked up at him a moment, wavered, met his dark eyes, was caught by
the old domination, and swept off her feet as of old.

"Oh, ... I should like to come...." She was a little breathless.

"Good! I will call for you then, at seven, and we will dine together. Au
revoir."

"He swept her a mocking bow and was gone," Peter murmured to himself.

Then he looked at Rhoda, and found her eyes upon his face, wide,
frightened, bewildered, and knew in a flash that she had never meant
to consent to go out with Vyvian, that she had been caught by the old
power he had over her and swept off her feet. That knowledge gave him
confidence, and he could say, "You don't want to go, do you? Let me go
after him and tell him."

"Oh," she pressed her hands together in front of her. "But I must go--I
said I would."

Peter was on his feet and out of the door in a second. He saw Vyvian in
the passage downstairs, putting on his coat. He spoke from half-way down
the stairs:

"Oh, Miss Johnson asks me to say she is sor