第7章
“Whynot？“sheaskedcoolly。“Ihavebeeninitforyears，youknow，andwhenIgotbackfromSouthAfricaeverythingseemedsoterriblyslowthatIbeggedforsomeworktodo。“
“Andtheysentyouhere-tome？“
“Yes，“sheanswered，“andIwasherealsoafewweeksago，butyoumustnotaskmeanythingaboutthat。“
Mr。Sabin’seyebrowscontracted，hisfacedarkened。Sheshrankalittleawayfromhim。
“Soitisyouwhohaverobbedmeofher，then，“hesaidslowly。
“Yes，thedescriptionfitsyouwellenough。Iaskyou，LadyCarey，torememberthelasttimewhenchancebroughtyouandmetogether。
HaveIdeservedthisfromyou？“
Shemadealittlegestureofimpotence。
“Dobereasonable！“shebegged。“WhatchoicehadI？“
Helookedathersteadfastly。
“Thefollyofwomen-ofcleverwomensuchasyou，“hesaid，“isabsolutelyamazing。Youhavedeliberatelymadeaslaveofyourself-“
“Onemusthavedistraction，“shemurmured。
“Distraction！Andsoyouplayatthissortofthing。Isitworthwhile？“
Hereyesforamomentcloudedoverwithweariness。
“Whenonehasfilledthecupoflifetothebrimformanyyears，“
shesaid，“whatremainsthatisworthwhile？“
Hebowed。
“Youareayoungwoman，“hesaid。“Youshouldnotyethavelearnedtospeakwithsuchbitterness。Asforme-well，Iamoldindeed。
Inyouthandagetheaffectionsclaimus。Iamapproachingmysecondchildhood。“
Shelaughedderisively，yetnotunkindly。“Whatfolly！“sheexclaimed。
“Youareright，“headmitted。“Isupposeitisthefaultofoldassociations。“
“Inafewminutes，“shesaid，smilingathim，“weshouldhavebecomesentimental。“
“I，“headmitted，“wasflounderingalready。“
Sheshruggedhershoulders。
“Youtalkasthoughsentimentwereabog。“
“Therehavebeenworsesimiles，“hedeclared。
“Howhorrid！Anddoyouknow，sir，forallyourindignationyouhavenotyeteveninquiredafteryourwife’shealth。“
“Itrust，“hesaid，“thatsheiswell。“
“Sheisinexcellenthealth。“
“Yoursecondvisittothiscountry，“heremarked，“followsveryswiftlyuponyourfirst。“
Shenodded。
“Iamhere，“shesaid，““onyouraccount。“
“Youexcitemyinterest，“hedeclared。“MayIknowyourmission？“
“Ihavetoremindyouofyourpledge，“shesaid，“toassureyouofLucille’swelfare，andtopreventyourleavingthecountry。“
“Marvelous！“heexclaimed，withaslightmockingsmile。“AndmayIaskwhatmeansyouintendtoemploytokeepmehere？“
“Well，“shesaid，“Ihavelargediscretionarypowers。Wehaveaverystrongbranchoveronthisside，butIwouldverymuchratherinduceyoutostayherewithoutapplyingtothem。“
“Andtheinducements？“heasked。
Shetookacigarettefromaboxwhichstoodonthetableandlitone。
“Well，“shesaid，“Imightappealtoyourhospitality，mightInot？
Iaminastrangecountrywhichyouhavemadeyourhome。Iwanttobeshownround。DoyourememberdiningwithmeonenightattheAmbassador’s？Itwasveryhot，evenforParis，andwedroveafterwardsintheBois。Askmetodinewithyouhere，won’tyou？
Ihaveneverquiteforgottenthelasttime。“
Mr。Sabinlaughedsoftly，butwithundisguisedmirth。
“Come，“hesaid，“thisisanexcellentstart。YouaretoplaytheCirceuptodate，andIamtobebeguiled。HowoughtItoansweryou？IdoremembertheAmbassador’s，andIdorememberdrivingdowntheBoisinyourvictoria，andholding-IbelieveIamright-yourhand。Youhavenorighttodisturbthosecharmingmemoriesbyattemptingtoturnthemintobathos。“
Sheblewoutalittlecloudoftobaccosmoke，andwatcheditthoughtfully。
“Ah！“sheremarked。“Iwonderwhoisbetteratthat，youorI？
Imaynotbeexactlyasentimentalperson，butyou-youareaflint。“
“Onthecontrary，“Mr。Sabinassuredherearnestly，“Iamverymuchinlovewithmywife。“
“Dearme！“sheexclaimed。“Youcarryoriginalitytoquixoticism。
IhavemetseveralmenbeforeinmylifewhomIhavesuspectedofsuchathing，butIneverheardanyoneconfessit。Thislittledomesticcontretemps-isthen，Ipresume，disagreeabletoyou！“
“Tothelastdegree，“Mr。Sabinasserted。“SomuchsothatI
leaveforEnglandbytheCampania。“
Sheshookherheadslowly。
“Iwouldn’tifIwereyou。“
“Whynot？“
LadyCareythrewawaytheendofhercigarette，andlookedforamomentthoughtfullyatherlongwhitefingersglitteringwithrings。
Thenshebegantodrawonhergloves。
“Well，inthefirstplace，“shesaid，“Lucillewillhavenotimetospareforyou。Youwillbedetropindecidedlyanuncomfortableposition。Youwouldn’tfindLondonatallagoodplacetoliveinjustnow，evenifyouevergotthere-whichIaminclinedtodoubt。
Andsecondly，hereamI-“
“Circe！“hemurmured。
“Waitingtobeentertained，inastrangecountry，almostfriendless。
Iwanttobeshowneverything，takeneverywhere。AndIamdyingtoseeyourhomeatLenox。Idonotthinkyourattitudetowardsmeintheleasthospitable。“
“Come，youarejudgingmeveryquickly，“hedeclared。“WhatopportunitieshaveIhad？“
“WhatopportunitiescantherebeifyousailbytheCampania？“
“Youmightdinewithmeto-nightatleast。“
“Impossible！TheDalkeithshaveapartytomeetme。Cometoo，won’tyou？Theylovedukes-evenFrenchones。“
Heshookhishead。
“Thereisnoattractionformeinalargeparty，“heanswered。“I
amgettingtoanagewhentomakeconversationinreturnforadinnerseemsscarcelyafairexchange。“
“Fromyourhost’spointofview，oryours？“
“Fromboth！Besides，one’sdigestionsuffers。“
“Youarecertainlygettingold，“shedeclared。“Come，Imustgo。
Youhaven’tbeenabitnicetome。WhenshallIseeyouagain？“
“Itis，“heanswered，“foryoutosay。“
Shelookedathimforamomentthoughtfully。
“Supposing，“shesaid，“thatIcriedofftheyachtraceto-day。
Wouldyoutakemeouttolunch？“
Hesmiled。
“Mydearlady，“hesaid，“itisforCircetocommand-andformetoobey。“
“Andyou’llcomeandhaveteawithmeafterwardsattheWaldorf？“
“That，“Mr。Sabindeclared，“willaddstillfurthertomyhappiness。“
“Willyoucallforme，then-andwhereshallwehavelunch，andatwhattime？Imustgoanddevelopaheadacheatonce，orthattiresomeDalkeithboywillbepoundingatmydoor。“