ourse. Adrian and
Doria trod the path of the perfect lovers, while I, to justify my
position as President of the Hafiz Society, worked hard at a Persian
Grammar. Barbara, the never idle, was in the meantime arranging for
Liosha's future. Her organising genius had brought Doria's suggestion as
to the First Class London Boarding House into the sphere of practical
things. The Boarding House idea alone would not work; but, combine it
with Mrs. Considine, and the scheme ran on wheels.

"Even you," said Barbara, as though I were a sort of Schopenhauer, a
professional disparager of her sex--"even you have a high opinion of
Mrs. Considine."

I had. Every one had a high opinion of Mrs. Considine. She was not very
beautiful or very clever or very fascinating or very angelic or very
anything--but she was one of those women of whom everybody has a high
opinion. The impoverished widow of an Indian soldierman, with a son
soldiering somewhere in India, she managed to do a great deal on very
small means. She was a woman of the world, a woman of character. She
knew how to deal with people of queer races. Heaven indicated her for
appointment by Barbara as Liosha's duenna in the Boarding House. Mrs.
Considine, herself compelled to live in these homes for the homeless,
gladly accepted the proposal, came down, interviewed her charge, who
happened then to be in a mood of meekness indescribable, and went away,
so to speak, with her contract in her pocket. It was part of the
programme that Mrs. Considine should tactfully carry on Liosha's
education, which had been arrested at the age of twelve, instil into her
a sense of Western decorum, extend her acquaintance, and gradually root
out of her heart the yearning to do her enemies to death. It was a
capital programme; and I gave it the benediction of a smile, in which,
seeing Barbara's shrewd blue eyes fixed on me, I suppressed the irony.

When this was all settled Jaffery proclaimed himself the most care-free
fellow alive. His hitherto grumpy and resentful attitude towards Liosha
changed. He established himself as fellow slave with her under the whip
of Susan's tyranny. It did one good to see these two magnificent
creatures sporting together for the child's, and incidentally their own,
amusement. For the first time during their intercourse they met on the
same plane.

"She's really quite a good sort," said Jaffery.

But if it was pleasant to see him with Liosha, it was still more
touching