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〃Not if you quarrel with him in private； as wellbred couples do。
But when it occurs in my presence it makes me uncomfortable； and
I object to being made uncomfortable。〃
〃You would not be here at all if I had not asked you。〃
〃Just think how dull the house would be without me； Jane！〃
〃Indeed！ It was not dull before you came。 Gertrude always behaved
like a lady； at least。〃
〃I am sorry that her example was so utterly lost on you。〃
〃I won't bear it；〃 said Jane with a sob and a plunge upon the
sofa that made the lustres of the chandeliers rattle。 〃I wouldn't
have asked you if I had thought you could be so hateful。 I will
never ask you again。〃
〃I will make Sir Charles divorce you for incompatibility of
temper and marry me。 Then I shall have the place to myself。〃
〃He can't divorce me for that； thank goodness。 You don't know
what you're talking about。〃
Agatha laughed。 〃Come；〃 she said good…humoredly； 〃don't be an old
ass； Jane。 Wash your face before anyone sees it； and remember
what I have told you about Sir Charles。〃
〃It is very hard to be called an ass in one's own house。〃
〃It is harder to be treated as one； like your husband。 I am going
to look for him in the billiard room。〃
Jane ran after her； and caught her by the sleeve。
〃Agatha；〃 she pleaded； 〃promise me that you won't be mean。 Say
that you won't make love to him。〃
〃I will consider about it；〃 replied Agatha gravely。
Jane uttered a groan and sank into a chair； which creaked at the
shock。 Agatha turned on the threshold； and seeing her shaking her
head； pressing her eyes； and tapping with her heel in a
restrained frenzy； said quickly；
〃Here are the Waltons； and the Fitzgeorges； and Mr。 Trefusis
coming upstairs。 How do you do； Mrs。 Walton？ Lady Brandon will be
SO glad to see you。 Good…evening； Mr。 Fitzgeorge。〃
Jane sprang up； wiped her eyes； and； with her hands on her hair；
smoothing it； rushed to a mirror。 No visitors appearing； she
perceived that she was； for perhaps the hundredth time in her
life； the victim of an imposture devised by Agatha。 She；
gratified by the success of her attempt to regain her old
ascendancy over Janeshe had made it with misgiving；
notwithstanding her apparent confidencewent downstairs to the
library； where she found Sir Charles gloomily trying to drown his
domestic troubles in art criticism。
〃I thought you were in the billiard room；〃 said Agatha。
〃I only peeped in；〃 he replied； 〃but as I saw something
particular going on； I thought it best to slip away； and I have
been alone ever since。〃
The something particular which Sir Charles had not wished to
interrupt was only a game of billiards。
It was the first opportunity Erskine had ever enjoyed of speaking
to Gertrude at leisure and alone。 Yet their conversation had
never been so commonplace。 She； liking the game； played very well
and chatted indifferently； he played badly； and broached trivial
topics in spite of himself。 After an hour…and…a…half's play；
Gertrude had announced that this game must be their last。 He
thought desperately that if he were to miss many more strokes the
game must presently end； and an opportunity which might never
recur pass beyond recall。 He determined to tell her without
preface that he adored her； but when he opened his lips a
question came forth of its own accord relating to the Persian way
of playing billiards。 Gertrude had never been in Persia； but had
seen some Eastern billiard cues in the India museum。 Were not the
Hindoos wonderful people for filigree work； and carpets； and such
things？ Did he not think thc crookedness of their carpet patterns
a blemish？ Some people pretended to admire them； but was not that
all nonsense？ Was not the modern polished floor； with a rug in
the middle； much superior to the old carpet fitted into the
corners of the room？ Yes。 Enormously superior。 Immensely
〃Why； what are you thinking of to…day； Mr。 Erskine？ You have
played with my ball。〃
〃I am thinking of you。〃
〃What did you say？〃 said Gertrude； not catching the serious turn
he had given to the conversation； and poising her cue for a
stroke。 〃Oh！ I am as bad as you； that was the worst stroke I ever
made； I think。 I beg your pardon； you said something just now。〃
〃I forget。 Nothing of any consequence。〃 And he groaned at his own
cowardice。
〃Suppose we stop；〃 she said。 〃There is no use in finishing the
game if our hands are out。 I am rather tired of it。〃
〃Certainlyif you wish it〃
〃I will finish if you like。〃
〃Not at all。 What pleases you； pleases me。〃
Gertrude made him a little bow； and idly knocked the balls about
with her cue。 Erskine's eyes wandered； and his lip moved
irresolutely。 He had settled with himself that his declaration
should be a frank oneheart to heart。 He had pictured himself in
the act of taking her hand delicately； and saying； 〃Gertrude； I
love you。 May I tell you so again？〃 But this scheme did not now
seem practicable。
〃Miss Lindsay。〃
Gertrude； bending over the table； looked up in alarm。
〃The present is as good an opportunity as I willas I shallas
I will。〃
〃Shall；〃 said Gertrude。
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃SHALL；〃 repeated Gertrude。 〃Did you ever study the doctrine of
necessity？〃
〃The doctrine of necessity？〃 he said； bewildered。
Gertrude went to the other side of the table in pursuit of a
ball。 She now guessed what was coming； and was willing that it
should come； not because she intended to accept； but because；
like other young ladies experienced in such scenes； she counted
the proposals of marriage she received as a Red Indian counts the
scalps he takes。
〃We have had a very pleasant time of it here；〃 he said； giving up
as inexplicable the relevance of the doctrine of necessity。 〃At
least； I have。〃
〃Well；〃 said Gertrude； quick to resent a fancied allusion to her
private discontent； 〃so have I。〃
〃I am glad of thatmore so than I can convey by words。〃
〃Is it any business of yours？〃 she said； following the
disagreeable vein he had unconsciously struck upon； and
suspecting pity in his efforts to be sympathetic。
〃I wish I dared hope so。 The happiness of my visit has been due
to you entirely。〃
〃Indeed；〃 said Gertrude； wincing as all the hard things Trefusis
had told her of herself came into her mind at the heels of
Erskine's unfortunate allusion to her power of enjoying herself。
〃I hope I am not paining you；〃 he said earnestly。
〃I don't know what you are talking about；〃 she said； standing
erect with sudden impatience。 〃You seem to think that it is very
easy to pain me。〃
〃No；〃 he said timidly； puzzled by the effect he had produced。 〃I
fear you misunderstand me。 I am very awkward。 Perhaps I had
better say no more； Gertrude； by turning away to put up her cue；
signified that that was a point for him to consider； she not
intending to trouble herself about it。 When she faced him again；
he was motionless and dejected； with a wistful expression like
that of a dog that has proffered a caress and received a kick。
Remorse； and a vague sense that there was something base in her
attitude towards him； overcame her。 She looked at him for an
instant and left the room。
The look excited him。