morning--and meanwhile she must keep well, and rest,
and amuse herself....

Amuse herself! That evening, as it happened, she was going to the
theatre with Mrs. Ansell. She and Mrs. Ansell, though outwardly on
perfect terms, had not greatly advanced in intimacy. The agitated,
decentralized life of the older woman seemed futile and trivial to
Justine; but on Mr. Langhope's account she wished to keep up an
appearance of friendship with his friend, and the same motive doubtless
inspired Mrs. Ansell. Just now, at any rate, Justine was grateful for
her attentions, and glad to go about with her. Anything--anything to get
away from her own thoughts! That was the pass she had come to.

At the theatre, in a proscenium box, the publicity, the light and
movement, the action of the play, all helped to distract and quiet her.
At such moments she grew ashamed of her fears. Why was she tormenting
herself? If anything happened she had only to ask her husband for more
money. She never spoke to him of her good works, and there would be
nothing to excite suspicion in her asking help again for the friend
whose secret she was pledged to keep.... But nothing was going to
happen. As the play progressed, and the stimulus of talk and laughter
flowed through her veins, she felt a complete return of confidence. And
then suddenly she glanced across the house, and saw Wyant looking at
her.

He sat rather far back, in one of the side rows just beneath the
balcony, so that his face was partly shaded. But even in the shadow it
frightened her. She had been prepared for a change, but not for this
ghastly deterioration. And he continued to look at her.

She began to be afraid that he would do something conspicuous--point at
her, or stand up in his seat. She thought he looked half-mad--or was it
her own hallucination that made him appear so? She and Mrs. Ansell were
alone in the box for the moment, and she started up, pushing back her
chair....

Mrs. Ansell leaned forward. "What is it?"

"Nothing--the heat--I'll sit back for a moment." But as she withdrew
into the back of the box, she was seized by a new fear. If he was still
watching, might he not come to the door and try to speak to her? Her
only safety lay in remaining in full view of the audience; and she
returned to Mrs. Ansell's side.

The other members of the party came back--the bell rang, the foot-lights
blazed, the curtain rose. She lost herself in the mazes of the play. She
sat so motio