nd to dance with a cavalier who
was displeasing to her; and some gentlemen were left sadly in the
lurch. Phineas felt himself to be very much in the lurch, even after
he had discovered Violet Effingham standing up to dance with Lord
Fawn.

He bided his time patiently, and at last he found his opportunity.
"Would she dance with him?" She declared that she intended to dance
no more, and that she had promised to be ready to return home with
Lord Brentford before ten o'clock. "I have pledged myself not to be
after ten," she said, laughing. Then she put her hand upon his arm,
and they stepped out upon the terrace together. "Have you heard
anything?" she asked him, almost in a whisper.

"Yes," he said. "I have heard what you mean. I have heard it all."

"Is it not dreadful?"

"I fear it is the best thing she can do. She has never been happy
with him."

"But to be accused after that fashion,--by her husband!" said Violet.
"One can hardly believe it in these days. And of all women she is the
last to deserve such accusation."

"The very last," said Phineas, feeling that the subject was one upon
which it was not easy for him to speak.

"I cannot conceive to whom he can have alluded," said Violet. Then
Phineas began to understand that Violet had not heard the whole
story; but the difficulty of speaking was still very great.

"It has been the result of ungovernable temper," he said.

"But a man does not usually strive to dishonour himself because he
is in a rage. And this man is incapable of rage. He must be cursed
with one of those dark gloomy minds in which love always leads to
jealousy. She will never return to him."

"One cannot say. In many respects it would be better that she
should," said Phineas.

"She will never return to him," repeated Violet,--"never. Would you
advise her to do so?"

"How can I say? If one were called upon for advice, one would think
so much before one spoke."

"I would not,--not for a minute. What! to be accused of that! How are
a man and woman to live together after there have been such words
between them? Poor Laura! What a terrible end to all her high hopes!
Do you not grieve for her?"

They were now at some distance from the house, and Phineas could not
but feel that chance had been very good to him in giving him his
opportunity. She was leaning on his arm, and they were alone, and she
was speaking to him with all the familiarity of old friendship. "I
wonder whether I may change