“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。“