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cool off。 You already have！〃 And on this； the next instant； her
tears began to flow。 She succumbed to them and collapsed； she sank
down again； burying her face and trying to smother her sobs。
Her young friend stood there； still in some rigour； but taken much
by surprise even if not yet fully moved to pity。 〃I don't put
anything in any 'way；' and I'm very glad you're suited。 Only； you
know； you did put to me so splendidly what； even for me； if I had
listened to you； it might lead to。〃
Mrs。 Jordan kept up a mild thin weak wail； then； drying her eyes；
as feebly considered this reminder。 〃It has led to my not
starving！〃 she faintly gasped。
Our young lady； at this； dropped into the place beside her； and
now； in a rush； the small silly misery was clear。 She took her
hand as a sign of pitying it； then； after another instant；
confirmed this expression with a consoling kiss。 They sat there
together； they looked out； hand in hand； into the damp dusky shabby
little room and into the future； of no such very different
suggestion； at last accepted by each。 There was no definite
utterance； on either side； of Mr。 Drake's position in the great
world； but the temporary collapse of his prospective bride threw
all further necessary light； and what our heroine saw and felt for
in the whole business was the vivid reflexion of her own dreams and
delusions and her own return to reality。 Reality； for the poor
things they both were； could only be ugliness and obscurity； could
never be the escape； the rise。 She pressed her friendshe had
tact enough for thatwith no other personal question； brought on
no need of further revelations； only just continued to hold and
comfort her and to acknowledge by stiff little forbearances the
common element in their fate。 She felt indeed magnanimous in such
matters； since if it was very well； for condolence or reassurance；
to suppress just then invidious shrinkings； she yet by no means saw
herself sitting down； as she might say； to the same table with Mr。
Drake。 There would luckily； to all appearance； be little question
of tables； and the circumstance that； on their peculiar lines； her
friend's interests would still attach themselves to Mayfair flung
over Chalk Farm the first radiance it had shown。 Where was one's
pride and one's passion when the real way to judge of one's luck
was by making not the wrong but the right comparison？ Before she
had again gathered herself to go she felt very small and cautious
and thankful。 〃We shall have our own house；〃 she said； 〃and you
must come very soon and let me show it you。〃
〃WE shall have our own too；〃 Mrs。 Jordan replied； 〃for； don't you
know？ he makes it a condition that he sleeps out？〃
〃A condition？〃the girl felt out of it。
〃For any new position。 It was on that he parted with Lord Rye。
His lordship can't meet it。 So Mr。 Drake has given him up。〃
〃And all for you？〃our young woman put it as cheerfully as
possible。
〃For me and Lady Bradeen。 Her ladyship's too glad to get him at
any price。 Lord Rye； out of interest in us； has in fact quite MADE
her take him。 So； as I tell you； he will have his own
establishment。〃
Mrs。 Jordan； in the elation of it； had begun to revive； but there
was nevertheless between them rather a conscious pausea pause in
which neither visitor nor hostess brought out a hope or an
invitation。 It expressed in the last resort that； in spite of
submission and sympathy； they could now after all only look at each
other across the social gulf。 They remained together as if it
would be indeed their last chance； still sitting； though awkwardly；
quite close； and feeling alsoand this most unmistakeablythat
there was one thing more to go into。 By the time it came to the
surface； moreover； our young friend had recognised the whole of the
main truth； from which she even drew again a slight irritation。 It
was not the main truth perhaps that most signified； but after her
momentary effort； her embarrassment and her tears Mrs。 Jordan had
begun to sound afreshand even without speakingthe note of a
social connexion。 She hadn't really let go of it that she was
marrying into society。 Well； it was a harmless compensation； and
it was all the prospective bride of Mr。 Mudge had to leave with
her。
CHAPTER XXVII
This young lady at last rose again； but she lingered before going。
〃And has Captain Everard nothing to say to it？〃
〃To what； dear？〃
〃Why； to such questionsthe domestic arrangements； things in the
house。〃
〃How can he； with any authority； when nothing in the house is his？〃
〃Not his？〃 The girl wondered； perfectly conscious of the
appearance she thus conferred on Mrs。 Jordan of knowing； in
comparison with herself； so tremendously much about it。 Well；
there were things she wanted so to get at that she was willing at
last； though it hurt her； to pay for them with humiliation。 〃Why
are they not his？〃
〃Don't you know； dear； that he has nothing？〃
〃Nothing？〃 It was hard to see him in such a light； but Mrs。
Jordan's power to answer for it had a superiority that began； on
the spot； to grow。 〃Isn't he rich？〃
Mrs。 Jordan looked immensely； looked both generally and
particularly； informed。 〃It depends upon what you call！ Not at
any rate in the least as she is。 What does he bring？ Think what
she has。 And then； love； his debts。〃
〃His debts？〃 His young friend was fairly betrayed into helpless
innocence。 She could struggle a little； but she had to let herself
go； and if she had spoken frankly she would have said： 〃Do tell
me； for I don't know so much about him as THAT！〃 As she didn't
speak frankly she only said： 〃His debts are nothingwhen she so
adores him。〃
Mrs。 Jordan began to fix her again； and now she saw that she must
only take it all。 That was what it had come to： his having sat
with her there on the bench and under the trees in the summer
darkness and put his hand on her； making her know what he would
have said if permitted； his having returned to her afterwards；
repeatedly； with supplicating eyes and a fever in his blood； and
her having； on her side； hard and pedantic； helped by some miracle
and with her impossible condition； only answered him； yet
supplicating back； through the bars of the cage；all simply that
she might hear of him； now for ever lost； only through Mrs。 Jordan；
who touched him through Mr。 Drake； who reached him through Lady
Bradeen。 〃She adores himbut of course that wasn't all there was
about it。〃
The girl met her eyes a minute； then quite surrendered。 〃What was
there else about it？〃
〃Why； don't you know？〃Mrs。 Jordan was almost compassionate。
Her interlocutress had； in the cage； sounded depths； but there was
a suggestion here somehow of an abyss quite measureless。 〃Of
course I know she would never let him alone。〃
〃How COULD shefancy！when he had so compromised her？〃
The most a