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be frank, following on his news of Harwich. With the shrewd cleverness that scarcely ever deserted her, she had forced her temper into the service of deception. When she knew she had lost her self-control, that she must show how indignant she was, she had linked her anger to a cause with which it had nothing to do, a cause that would stir all his tenderness for her. At the moment when she was hating him, she was teaching him to love her, and deliberately teaching him. But now that she was alone, all that was deliberate deserted her, and, disregarding even the effect grief and anger unrestrained must have upon her appearance, she gave way, and gave way completely. She did not come down to lunch, but towards tea-time she reappeared in the garden, looking calm, but pathetically tired, with soft and wistful eyes. "When are you starting for the dahabeeyah?" she asked, as Nigel came anxiously, repentantly forward to meet her. "I don't think I'll go at all. I don't want to go. I'll stay here and have tea with you." "No, you mustn't do that. I shall like to have tea alone to-day." She spoke very gently, but her manner, her eyes, and every word rebuked him. "Then I'll go," he said, "if you prefer it." He looked down. "Baroudi's men have come already to take me over." "I heard them singing, up in my bedroom. Run along! Don't keep him waiting." With the final words she seemed to make an effort, to try to assume the playful, half-patronizing manner of a pretty woman of the world to a man supposed to adore her; but she allowed her lips to tremble so that he might see she was playing a part. He did not dare to say that he saw, and he went down to the bank of the Nile, got into the felucca that was waiting, and was rowed out into the river. As soon as he had gone, Mrs. Armine called Ibrahim to come and put a chair and a table for her in the shadow of the wall, close to the stone promontory that was thrust out into the Nile to keep its current from eating away the earth embankment of the garden. "I am going to have tea here, Ibrahim," she said. "Tell Hassan to bring it directly the sun begins to set." "Yes, suttinly," replied the always young and cheerful. "And shall Ibrahim come back and stay with you?" She shook her head, looking kindly at the boy, who had quickly learnt to adore her, as had all the Nubians in the villa. "Not to-day, Ibrahim. To-day I want to be alone." He inclined his long, thin
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