came back to her mind. They all had their origin in some
inadvertent remark regarding the Hall.

Yes; everything was as clear as daylight now. Pia had learnt of this
business in some roundabout way that did not allow of her speaking openly
to Doctor Hilary on the subject, so she saw merely the fraud, and had no
idea that it was, in all probability, an entirely justifiable one, and
that at all events no one had told any deliberate lie. Of course Pia was
disturbed and upset. Wouldn't she have been herself, in Pia's place? And
hadn't she felt quite unreasonably unhappy till Mr. Danver had assured
her that Doctor Hilary had not spoken a single word of actual untruth?

Oh, poor Pia!

Now, it was not in the least astonishing that Trix's mind should have
leapt to this entirely erroneous conclusion. For the last fortnight it
had been full of her discovery. The smallest thing that seemed to bear on
it, instantly appeared actually to do so. And everything in her present
train of thought fitted in with astonishing accuracy. Each little
incident in Pia's late behaviour fell into place with it.

She did not stop to consider that, if this were the sole cause of Pia's
trouble, she--Pia--was unquestionably taking a very exaggerated view of
it. It never occurred to Trix to do so. If she had considered the matter
at all, it would have been merely to realize that Pia's attitude towards
it was remarkably like what her own would have been. She would have
known, had she attempted analysis of the subject, that she herself was
frequently troubled about trifles, or what at any rate would have
appeared to others as trifles, where any friend of hers was concerned.
Her friends' actions and her own, in what are ordinarily termed little
things, mattered quite supremely to her, most particularly in any
question regarding honour. The smallest infringement of it would be
enough to cause her sleepless nights and anxious days. Therefore, without
attempting any analysis, she could perfectly well understand what she
believed Pia's point of view to be. And her present distress was, that,
in view of her promise, she could do nothing definite to help her.

She could not show her Doctor Hilary's standpoint in the matter, since it
was not permissible for her to give the smallest hint that she was
acquainted either with it, or with the whole business at all. She could
not even hint that she believed Doctor Hilary to be the person concerning
whom Pia was tro