Hegropedbacktohischair，hischestlabouringashesatdown。
　　Maisiewatchedhim，andthefearwentoutofherheart，tobefollowedbyaverybittershameHehadspokenatruththathadbeenhiddenfromthegirlthrougheverystepoftheimpetuousflighttoLondon；forhewas，indeed，downanddonefor——masterfulnolongerbutratheralittleabject；
　　neitheranartiststrongerthanshe，noramantobelookedupto——onlysomeblindonethatsatinachairandseemedonthepointofcryingShewasimmenselyandunfeignedlysorryforhim——moresorrythanshehadeverbeenforanyoneinherlife，butnotsorryenoughtodenyhiswords。
　　Soshestoodstillandfeltashamedandalittlehurt，becauseshehadhonestlyintendedthatherjourneyshouldendtriumphantly；andnowshewasonlyfilledwithpitymoststartlinglydistinctfromlove。
　　’Well？’saidDick，hisfacesteadilyturnedaway’InevermeanttoworryyouanymoreWhat’sthematter？’
　　HewasconsciousthatMaisiewascatchingherbreath，butwasasunpreparedasherselfforthetorrentofemotionthatfollowedShehaddroppedintoachairandwassobbingwithherfacehiddeninherhands。
　　’Ican’t——Ican’t！’shecrieddesperately’Indeed，Ican’tItisn’tmyfault。
　　I’msosorryOh，Dickie，I’msosorry。’
　　Dick’sshouldersstraightenedagain，forthewordslashedlikeawhip。
　　StillthesobbingcontinuedItisnotgoodtorealisethatyouhavefailedinthehouroftrialorflinchedbeforethemerepossibilityofmakingsacrifices。
　　’Idodespisemyself——indeedIdoButIcan’tOh，Dickie，youwouldn’taskme——wouldyou？’wailedMaisie。
　　Shelookedupforaminute，andbychanceithappenedthatDick’seyesfellonhersTheunshavenfacewasverywhiteandset，andthelipsweretryingtoforcethemselvesintoasmileButitwastheworn-outeyesthatMaisiefearedHerDickhadgoneblindandleftinhisplacesomeonethatshecouldhardlyrecognisetillhespoke。
　　’Whoisaskingyoutodoanything，Maisie？Itoldyouhowitwouldbe。
　　What’stheuseofworrying？Forpity’ssakedon’tcrylikethat；itisn’tworthit。’
　　’Youdon’tknowhowIhatemyselfOh，Dick，helpme——helpme！’
　　ThepassionoftearshadgrownbeyondhercontrolandwasbeginningtoalarmthemanHestumbledforwardandputhisarmroundher，andherheadfellonhisshoulder。
　　’Hush，dear，hush！Don’tcryYou’requiteright，andyou’venothingtoreproachyourselfwith——youneverhadYou’reonlyalittleupsetbythejourney，andIdon’tsupposeyou’vehadanybreakfastWhatabruteTorpwastobringyouover。’
　　’IwantedtocomeIdidindeed，’sheprotested。
　　’VerywellAndnowyou’vecomeandseen，andI’m——immenselygrateful。
　　Whenyou’rebetteryoushallgoawayandgetsomethingtoeat。
　　Whatsortofapassagedidyouhavecomingover？’
　　Maisiewascryingmoresubduedly，forthefirsttimeinherlifegladthatshehadsomethingtoleanagainstDickpattedherontheshouldertenderlybutclumsily，forhewasnotquitesurewherehershouldermightbe。
　　Shedrewherselfoutofhisarmsatlastandwaited，tremblingandmostunhappyHehadfelthiswaytothewindowtoputthewidthoftheroombetweenthem，andtoquietalittlethetumultinhisheart。
　　’Areyoubetternow？’hesaid。
　　’Yes，but——don’tyouhateme？’
　　’Ihateyou？MyGod！I？’
　　’Isn’t——isn’tthereanythingIcoulddoforyou，then？I’llstayhereinEnglandtodoit，ifyoulikePerhapsIcouldcomeandseeyousometimes。’
　　’Ithinknot，dearItwouldbekindestnottoseemeanymore，pleaseI
　　don’twanttoseemrude，but——don’tyouthink——perhapsyouhadalmostbettergonow。’
　　Hewasconsciousthathecouldnotbearhimselfasamanifthestraincontinuedmuchlonger。
　　’Idon’tdeserveanythingelseI’llgo，DickOh，I’msomiserable。’
　　’NonsenseYou’venothingtoworryabout；I’dtellyouifyouhad。
　　Waitamoment，dearI’vegotsomethingtogiveyoufirstImeantitforyoueversincethislittletroublebeganIt’smyMelancolia；shewasabeautywhenIlastsawherYoucankeepherforme，andifeveryou’repooryoucansellherShe’sworthafewhundredsatanystateofthemarket。’Hegropedamonghiscanvases’She’sframedinblackIsthisablackframethatIhavemyhandon？TheresheisWhatdoyouthinkofher？’
　　HeturnedascarredformlessmuddleofpainttowardsMaisie，andtheeyesstrainedasthoughtheywouldcatchherwonderandsurprise。
　　Onethingandonethingonlycouldshedoforhim。
　　’Well？’
　　Thevoicewasfullerandmorerounded，becausethemanknewhewasspeakingofhisbestworkMaisielookedattheblur，andalunaticdesiretolaughcaughtherbythethroatButforDick’ssake——whateverthismadblanknessmightmean——shemustmakenosignHervoicechokedwithhard-heldtearsassheanswered，stillgazingatthewreck——
　　’Oh，Dick，itisgood！’
　　Heheardthelittlehystericalgulpandtookitfortribute’Won’tyouhaveit，then？I’llsenditovertoyourhouseifyouwill。’
　　’I？Ohyes——thankyouHa！ha！’IfshedidnotflyatoncethelaughterthatwasworsethantearswouldkillherSheturnedandran，chokingandblinded，downthestaircasesthatwereemptyoflifetotakerefugeinacabandgotoherhouseacrosstheParksThereshesatdowninthedismantleddrawing-roomandthoughtofDickinhisblindness，uselesstilltheendoflife，andofherselfinherowneyesBehindthesorrow，theshame，andthehumiliation，layfearofthecoldwrathofthered-hairedgirlwhenMaisieshouldreturnMaisiehadneverfearedhercompanionbeforeNotuntilshefoundherselfsaying，’Well，heneveraskedme，’didsherealiseherscornofherself。
　　AndthatistheendofMaisie。
　　*
　　ForDickwasreservedmoresearchingtormentHecouldnotrealiseatfirstthatMaisie，whomhehadorderedtogohadlefthimwithoutawordoffarewellHewassavagelyangryagainstTorpenhow，whohadbroughtuponhimthishumiliationandtroubledhismiserablepeaceThenhisdarkhourcameandhewasalonewithhimselfandhisdesirestogetwhathelphecouldfromthedarknessThequeencoulddonowrong，butinfollowingtheright，sofarasitservedherwork，shehadwoundedheronesubjectmorethanhisownbrainwouldlethimknow。
　　’It’sallIhadandI’velostit，’hesaid，assoonasthemiserypermittedclearthinking’AndTorpwillthinkthathehasbeensoinfernallycleverthatIshan’thavethehearttotellhimImustthinkthisoutquietly。’
　　’Hullo！’saidTorpenhow，enteringthestudioafterDickhadenjoyedtwohoursofthought’I’mbackAreyoufeelinganybetter？’
　　’Torp，Idon’tknowwhattosayComehere。’Dickcoughedhuskily，wondering，indeed，whatheshouldsay，andhowtosayittemperately。
　　’What’stheneedforsayinganything？Getupandtramp。’
　　Torpenhowwasperfectlysatisfied。
　　Theywalkedupanddownasofcustom，Torpenhow’shandonDick’sshoulder，andDickburiedinhisownthoughts。
　　’Howintheworlddidyoufinditallout？’saidDick，atlast。
　　’Youshouldn’tgooffyourheadifyouwanttokeepsecrets，Dickie。
　　Itwasabsolutelyimpertinentonmypart；butifyou’dseenmerocketingaboutonahalf-trainedFrenchtroop-horseunderablazingsunyou’dhavelaughedTherewillbeacharivariinmyroomsto-night。
　　Sevenotherdevils——’
　　’Iknow——therowintheSouthernSoudanIsurprisedtheircouncilstheotherday，anditmademeunhappyHaveyoufixedyourflinttogo？
　　Whod’youworkfor？’
　　’Haven’tsignedanycontractsyetIwantedtoseehowyourbusinesswouldturnout。’
　　’Wouldyouhavestayedwithme，then，if——thingshadgonewrong？’
　　Heputhisquestioncautiously。
　　’Don’taskmetoomuchI’monlyaman。’
　　’You’vetriedtobeanangelverysuccessfully。’
　　’Ohye——es！Well，doyouattendthefunctionto-night？WeshallbehalfscrewedbeforethemorningAllthemenbelievethewar’sacertainty。’
　　’Idon’tthinkIwill，oldman，ifit’sallthesametoyouI’llstayquiethere。’
　　’Andmeditate？Idon’tblameyouYouobserveagoodtimeifeveramandid。’
　　ThatnighttherewasatumultonthestairsThecorrespondentspouredinfromtheatre，dinner，andmusic-halltoTorpenhow’sroomthattheymightdiscusstheirplanofcampaignintheeventofmilitaryoperationsbecomingacertaintyTorpenhow，theKeneu，，andtheNilghaihadbiddenallthementheyhadworkedwithtotheorgy；andMr。
　　Beeton，thehousekeeper，declaredthatneverbeforeinhischeckeredexperiencehadheseenquitesuchafancylotofgentlemenTheywakedthechamberswithshoutingsandsong；andtheeldermenwerequiteasbadastheyoungerForthechancesofwarwereinfrontofthem，andallknewwhatthosemeant。
　　Sittinginhisownroomalittleperplexedbythenoiseacrossthelanding，Dicksuddenlybegantolaughtohimself。
　　’Whenonecomestothinkofitthesituationisintenselycomic。
　　Maisie’squiteright——poorlittlethingIdidn’tknowshecouldcrylikethatbefore；
　　butnowIknowwhatTorpthinks，I’msurehe’dbequitefoolenoughtostayathomeandtrytoconsoleme——ifheknewBesides，itisn’tnicetoownthatyou’vebeenthrownoverlikeabrokenchairImustcarrythisbusinessthroughalone——asusualIfthereisn’tawar，andTorpfindsout，Ishalllookfoolish，that’sallIfthereisawayImustn’tinterferewithanotherman’schancesBusinessisbusiness，andIwanttobealone——I
　　wanttobealoneWhatarowthey’remaking！’
　　Somebodyhammeredatthestudiodoor。
　　’Comeoutandfrolic，Dickie，’saidtheNilghai。
　　’Ishouldliketo，butIcan’tI’mnotfeelingfrolicsome。’
　　’Then，I’lltelltheboysandthey’lldragyoulikeabadger。’
　　’Pleasenot，oldmanOnmyword，I’dsoonerbeleftalonejustnow。’
　　’VerygoodCanwesendanythingintoyou？Fizz，forinstance。
　　CassavettiisbeginningtosingsongsoftheSunnySouthalready。’
　　ForoneminuteDickconsideredthepropositionseriously。
　　’No，thanks，I’veaheadachealready。’
　　’VirtuouschildThat’stheeffectofemotionontheyoungAllmycongratulations，DickIalsowasconcernedintheconspiracyforyourwelfare。’
　　’Gotothedevil——oh，sendBinkieinhere。’
　　Thelittledogenteredonelasticfeet，riotousfromhavingbeenmademuchofalltheeveningHehadhelpedtosingthechoruses；butscarcelyinsidethestudioherealisedthatthiswasnoplacefortail-wagging，andsettledhimselfonDick’slaptillitwasbedtimeThenhewenttobedwithDick，whocountedeveryhourasitstruck，androseinthemorningwithapainfullyclearheadtoreceiveTorpenhow’smoreformalcongratulationsandaparticularaccountofthelastnight’srevels。
　　’Youaren’tlookingveryhappyforanewlyacceptedman，’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Nevermindthat——it’smyownaffair，andI’mallrightDoyoureallygo？’
　　’YesWiththeoldCentralSouthernasusualTheywired，andI
　　acceptedonbettertermsthanbefore。’
　　’Whendoyoustart？’
　　’Thedayafterto-morrow——forBrindisi。’
　　’ThankGod。’Dickspokefromthebottomofhisheart。
　　’Well，that’snotaprettywayofsayingyou’regladtogetridofme。
　　Butmeninyourconditionareallowedtobeselfish。’
　　’Ididn’tmeanthatWillyougetahundredpoundscashedformebeforeyouleave？’
　　’That’saslenderamountforhousekeeping，isn’tit？’
　　’Oh，it’sonlyfor——marriageexpenses。’
　　Torpenhowbroughthimthemoney，counteditoutinfivesandtens，andcarefullyputitawayinthewritingtable。
　　’NowIsupposeIshallhavetolistentohisravingsabouthisgirluntilI
　　goHeavensenduspatiencewithamaninlove！’hesaidtohimself。
　　ButneveraworddidDicksayofMaisieormarriageHehunginthedoorwayofTorpenhow’sroomwhenthelatterwaspackingandaskedinnumerablequestionsaboutthecomingcampaign，tillTorpenhowbegantofeelannoyed。
　　’You’reasecretiveanimal，Dickie，andyouconsumeyourownsmoke，don’tyou？’hesaidonthelastevening。