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'On the other hand； it is my pretension that I know him very well！'
I replied。 'I must speak to Ronald first … not Ronald to me … that
is all！'
'Then； please； go and speak to him at once！' she pleaded。 He is
there … do you see？ … at the upper end of the room； talking to that
girl in pink。'
'And so lose this seat before I have told you my good news？' I
exclaimed。 'Catch me！ And； besides； my dear one； think a little
of me and my good news！ I thought the bearer of good news was
always welcome！ I hoped he might be a little welcome for himself！
Consider！ I have but one friend； and let me stay by her！ And
there is only one thing I care to hear； and let me hear it！'
'Oh； Anne；' she sighed； 'if I did not love you； why should I be so
uneasy？ I am turned into a coward； dear！ Think； if it were the
other way round … if you were quite safe and I was in； oh； such
danger！'
She had no sooner said it than I was convicted of being a dullard。
'God forgive me； dear！' I made haste to reply。 'I never saw
before that there were two sides to this！' And I told her my tale
as briefly as I could； and rose to seek Ronald。 'You see； my dear；
you are obeyed；' I said。
She gave me a look that was a reward in itself； and as I turned
away from her； with a strong sense of turning away from the sun； I
carried that look in my bosom like a caress。 The girl in pink was
an arch； ogling person； with a good deal of eyes and teeth； and a
great play of shoulders and rattle of conversation。 There could be
no doubt； from Mr。 Ronald's attitude； that he worshipped the very
chair she sat on。 But I was quite ruthless。 I laid my hand on his
shoulder； as he was stooping over her like a hen over a chicken。
'Excuse me for one moment； Mr。 Gilchrist！' said I。
He started and span about in answer to my touch； and exhibited a
face of inarticulate wonder。
'Yes！' I continued； 'it is even myself！ Pardon me for
interrupting so agreeable a TETE…A…TETE； but you know； my good
fellow； we owe a first duty to Mr。 Robbie。 It would never do to
risk making a scene in the man's drawing…room； so the first thing I
had to attend to was to have you warned。 The name I go by is
Ducie； too； in case of accidents。'
'I … I say； you know！' cried Ronald。 'Deuce take it； what are you
doing here？'
'Hush； hush！' said I。 'Not the place； my dear fellow … not the
place。 Come to my rooms； if you like； to…night after the party； or
to…morrow in the morning； and we can talk it out over a segar。 But
here； you know； it really won't do at all。'
Before he could collect his mind for an answer； I had given him my
address in St。 James Square； and had again mingled with the crowd。
Alas！ I was not fated to get back to Flora so easily！ Mr。 Robbie
was in the path： he was insatiably loquacious； and as he continued
to palaver I watched the insipid youths gather again about my idol；
and cursed my fate and my host。 He remembered suddenly that I was
to attend the Assembly Ball on Thursday； and had only attended to…
night by way of a preparative。 This put it into his head to
present me to another young lady； but I managed this interview with
so much art that； while I was scrupulously polite and even cordial
to the fair one； I contrived to keep Robbie beside me all the time
and to leave along with him when the ordeal was over。 We were just
walking away arm in arm； when I spied my friend the Major
approaching； stiff as a ramrod and； as usual； obtrusively clean。
'Oh！ there's a man I want to know；' said I； taking the bull by the
horns。 'Won't you introduce me to Major Chevenix？'
'At a word； my dear fellow；' said Robbie； and 'Major！' he cried；
'come here and let me present to you my friend Mr。 Ducie； who
desires the honour of your acquaintance。'
The Major flushed visibly； but otherwise preserved his composure。
He bowed very low。 'I'm not very sure；' he said： 'I have an idea
we have met before？'
'Informally；' I said； returning his bow； 'and I have long looked
forward to the pleasure of regularising our acquaintance。'
'You are very good； Mr。 Ducie；' he returned。 'Perhaps you could
aid my memory a little？ Where was it that I had the pleasure？'
'Oh； that would be telling tales out of school；' said I； with a
laugh； 'and before my lawyer； too！'
'I'll wager；' broke in Mr。 Robbie； 'that； when you knew my client；
Chevenix … the past of our friend Mr。 Ducie is an obscure chapter
full of horrid secrets … I'll wager； now； you knew him as St。
Ivey；' says he； nudging me violently。
'I think not； sir；' said the Major； with pinched lips。
'Well； I wish he may prove all right！' continued the lawyer； with
certainly the worst…inspired jocularity in the world。 'I know
nothing by him！ He may be a swell mobsman for me with his aliases。
You must put your memory on the rack； Major； and when ye've
remembered when and where ye met him； be sure ye tell me。'
'I will not fail； sir；' said Chevenix。
'Seek to him！' cried Robbie； waving his hand as he departed。
The Major； as soon as we were alone； turned upon me his impassive
countenance。
'Well；' he said； 'you have courage。'
'It is undoubted as your honour； sir；' I returned； bowing。
'Did you expect to meet me； may I ask？' said he。
'You saw； at least； that I courted the presentation；' said I。
'And you were not afraid？' said Chevenix。
'I was perfectly at ease。 I knew I was dealing with a gentleman。
Be that your epitaph。'
'Well； there are some other people looking for you；' he said； 'who
will make no bones about the point of honour。 The police； my dear
sir； are simply agog about you。'
'And I think that that was coarse；' said I。
'You have seen Miss Gilchrist？' he inquired； changing the subject。
'With whom； I am led to understand； we are on a footing of
rivalry？' I asked。 'Yes； I have seen her。'
'And I was just seeking her；' he replied。
I was conscious of a certain thrill of temper； so； I suppose； was
he。 We looked each other up and down。
'The situation is original；' he resumed。
'Quite；' said I。 'But let me tell you frankly you are blowing a
cold coal。 I owe you so much for your kindness to the prisoner
Champdivers。'
'Meaning that the lady's affections are more advantageously
disposed of？' he asked； with a sneer。 'Thank you； I am sure。 And；
since you have given me a lead； just hear a word of good advice in
your turn。 Is it fair； is it delicate； is it like a gentleman； to
compromise the young lady by attentions which （as you know very
well） can come to nothing？'
I was utterly unable to find words in answer。
'Excuse me if I cut this interview short；' he went on。 'It seems
to me doomed to come to nothing； and there is more attractive
metal。'
'Yes；' I replied； 'as you say； it cannot amount to much。