ed no one of complaints, imaginary or otherwise.

Also it was likely to make people hysterical. Therefore when Arithelli
woke at six o'clock in the morning, and sat up panting, with a hand at
her left side, he elevated both shoulders and eyebrows.

"_Qu'est ce-qu vous avez donc_? You're all right now."

He knew perfectly well that there was no pretence of illness. The
strained eyes, the blue shadows round the mouth told their own tale.

"Oh, Emile, my heart feels so queer! I'm sure it must be all wrong."

"_Ma foi_! _Ces femmes la_! _Il y a tou jours quelque chose_! First
a faint, then a heart! How often am I to tell you, Arithelli, that
that part of your--your--how do you say it?--anatomy--is quite without
use here? Have you any brandy in the room?"

"There's Eau de Cologne on the washstand."

He mixed water with the spirit and gave her a liberal dose that soon
helped her to look less ghastly.

She lay back feeling almost comfortable, wishing Emile would see fit to
depart, but Count Poleski returned again to the subject of her
misbehaviour.

Like most men he was not at his best in the early morning, and the
night's vigil had not improved his temper.

He sat scowling after his manner, black eyebrows meeting over grey
eyes, hard as flint. "If you are going in for this kind of
performance, what will be the use of you?" he enquired sarcastically.

Perhaps after all Sobrenski had been right in employing no women.

"Even the best machine will get out of order sometimes," the girl
replied wearily.

"And when that happens one sets to work to find another machine to take
its place."

"I didn't know about the horrors; you ought to have told me. It isn't
fair."

There was neither passion nor resentment in the low voice. "What shall
I do?" she went on, after waiting for Emile to speak.

"Put up with it, or better still go in for the Cause seriously."

"Don't you call this serious? Blood and brutalities and slave-driving?
You talked about _l'entresol de l'enfer_, but I'm beginning to think
I've stepped over the threshold."

"_Ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute_!"

Arithelli bit her lips. "I don't feel in the mood for arguing now. I
wish you would leave me alone."

"On condition that you won't go in for any more hysterics, I'll go and
settle with the Manager that you don't have to appear to-night. It's
lucky there happens to be a new turn with those trapeze people. The
audience won't miss