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She colored。 ‘‘It's better；'' she murmured。
‘‘A singer with sore throat！'' mocked he。 ‘‘You've had a slight fogginess of the voice all summer。''
‘‘It's this sea air；'' she eagerly protested。 ‘‘It affects everyone。''
‘‘No self…excuse； please；'' interrupted he。 ‘‘Cigarettes； champagne； all kinds of foolish food； an impaired digestionthat's the truth； and you know it。''
‘‘I've got splendid digestion！ I can eat anything！'' she cried。 ‘‘Oh； you don't know the first thing about singing。 You don't know about temperament； about art； about all the things that singing really means。''
‘‘We were talking of careers；'' said he。 ‘‘A career means a person who can be relied upon to do what is demanded of him。 A singer's career means a powerful body； perfect health； a sound digestion。 Without them； the voice will not be reliable。 What you need is not singing teachers； but teachers of athletics and of hygiene。 To hear you talk about a career is like listening to a child。 You think you can become a professional singer by paying money to a teacher。 There are lawyers and doctors and business men in all lines who think that way about their professionsthat learning a little routine of technical knowledge makes a lawyer or a doctor or a merchant or a financier。''
‘‘Tell meWHAT ought I to learn？''
‘‘Learn to thinkand to persist。 Learn to concentrate。 Learn to make sacrifices。 Learn to handle yourself as a great painter handles his brush and colors。 Then perhaps you'll make a career as a singer。 If not； it'll be a career as something or other。''
She was watching him with a wistful； puzzled expression。 ‘‘Could I ever do all that？''
‘‘Anyone could； by working away at it every day。 If you gain only one inch a day； in a year you'll have gained three hundred and sixty…five inches。 And if you gain an inch a day for a while and hold it； you soon begin to gain a foot a day。 But there's no need to worry about that。'' He was gazing at her now with an expression of animation that showed how feverishly alive he was behind that mask of calmness。 ‘‘The day's workthat's the story of success。 Do the day's work persistently； thoroughly； intelligently。 Never mind about to…morrow。 Thinking of it means dreaming or despairingboth futilities。 Just the day's work。''
‘‘I begin to understand；'' she said thoughtfully。 ‘‘You are right。 I've done nothing。 Oh； I've been a foolmore foolish even than I thought。''
A long silence； then she said； somewhat embarrassed and in a low voice； though there was no danger of those in front of them hearing：
‘‘I want you to know that there has been nothing wrongbetween Stanley and me。''
‘‘Do you wish me to put that to your credit or to your discredit？'' inquired he。
‘‘What do you mean？''
‘‘Why； you've just told me that you haven't given Stanley anything at all for his moneythat you've cheated him outright。 The thing itself is discreditable； but your tone suggests that you think I'll admire you for it。''
‘‘Do you mean to say that you'd think more highly of me if I werewhat most women would be in the same circumstances？''
‘‘I mean to say that I think the whole business is discreditable to both of youto his intelligence； to your character。''
‘‘You are frank；'' said she； trying to hide her anger。
‘‘I am frank；'' replied he； undisturbed。 He looked at her。 ‘‘Why should I not be？''
‘‘You know that I need you； that I don't dare resent；'' said she。 ‘‘So isn't ita little cowardly？''
‘‘Why do you need me？ Not for money； for you know you'll not get that。''
‘‘I don't want it；'' cried she； agitated。 ‘‘I never thought of it。''
‘‘Yes； you've probably thought of it；'' replied he coolly。 ‘‘But you will not get it。''
‘‘Well； that's settledI'll not get it。''
‘‘Then why do you need me？ Of what use can I be to you？ Only one use in the world。 To tell you the truththe exact truth。 Is not that so？''
‘‘Yes；'' she said。 ‘‘That is what I want from you what I can't get from anyone else。 No one else knows the truthnot even Mrs。 Brindley； though she's intelligent。 I take back what I said about your being cowardly。 Oh； you do stab my vanity so！ You mustn't mind my crying out。 I can't help itat least； not till I get used to you。''
‘‘Cry out；'' said he。 ‘‘It does no harm。''
‘‘How wonderfully you understand me！'' exclaimed she。 ‘‘That's why I let you say to me anything you please。''
He was smiling peculiarlya smile that somehow made her feel uncomfortable。 She nerved herself for some still deeper stab into her vanity。 He said； his gaze upon her and ironical：
‘‘I'm sorry I can't return the compliment。''
‘‘What compliment？'' asked she。
‘‘Can't say that you understand me。 Why do you think I am doing this？''
She colored。 ‘‘Oh； no indeed； Mr。 Keith；'' she protested； ‘‘I don't think you are in love with meor anything of that sort。 Indeed； I do not。 I know you better than that。''
‘‘Really？'' said he； amused。 ‘‘Then you are not human。''
‘‘How can you think me so vain？'' she protested。
‘‘Because you are so；'' replied he。 ‘‘You are as vainno more so； but just as much soas the average pretty and attractive woman brought up as you have been。 You are not obsessed by the notion that your physical charms are all…powerful； and in that fact there is hope for you。 But you attach entirely too much importance to them。 You will find them a hindrance for a long time before they begin to be a help to you in your career。 And they will always be a temptation to you to take the easy； stupid way of making a livingthe only way open to most women that is not positively repulsive。''
‘‘I think it is the most repulsive；'' said Mildred。
‘‘Don't cant；'' replied he； unimpressed。 ‘‘It's not so repulsive to your sort of woman as manual labor or as any kind of work that means no leisure； no luxury and small pay。''
‘‘I wonder；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘II'm afraid you're right。 But I WON'T admit it。 I don't dare。''
‘‘That's the finest； truest thing I've ever heard you say；'' said Keith。
Mildred was pleased out of all proportion to the compliment。 Said she with frank eagerness； ‘‘Then I'm not altogether hopeless？''
‘‘As a character； no indeed；'' replied he。 ‘‘But as a career I was about to say； you may set your mind at rest。 I shall never try to collect for my services。 I am doing all this solely out of obstinacy。''
‘‘Obstinacy？'' asked the puzzled girl。
‘‘The impossible attracts me。 That's why I've never been interested to make a career in law or politics or those things。 I care only for the thing that can't be done。 When I saw you and studied you； as I study every new thing； I decided that you could not possibly make a career。''
‘‘Why have you changed your mind？'' she interrupted eagerly。
‘‘I haven't；'' replied he。 ‘‘If I had； I should have lost interest in you。 Just as soon as you show signs of making a career； I shall lose interest in you。 I have a friend； a doctor； who will take only cases where cure is impossible。 Looking at you； it occurred to me that here was a chance to make an experiment more interesting than any of his。 And as I have no other impossible task inviting me at present； I decided to undertake youif y