manner and on her face。 I put money into the woman's hand； enough
of it to surprise her。 She thanked me with a cynical smile；
evidently placing her own evil interpretation on my motive for
bribing her。
〃What can I do for you； ma'am？〃 she asked； in a confidential
whisper。 〃Don't speak loud！ there is somebody in the next room。〃
〃I want to look my best；〃 I said； 〃and I have sent for you to
help me。〃
〃I understand； ma'am。〃
〃What do you understand？〃
She nodded her head significantly； and whispered to me again。
〃Lord bless you； I'm used to this！〃 she said。 〃There is a
gentleman in the case。 Don't mind me； ma'am。 It's a way I have。 I
mean no harm。〃 She stopped； and looked at me critically。 〃I
wouldn't change my dress if I were you；〃 she went on。 〃The color
becomes you。〃
It was too late to resent the woman's impertinence。 There was no
help for it but to make use of her。 Besides； she was right about
the dress。 It was of a delicate maize…color； prettily trimmed
with lace。 I could wear nothing which suited me better。 My hair；
however； stood in need of some skilled attention。 The chambermaid
rearranged it with a ready hand which showed that she was no
beginner in the art of dressing hair。 She laid down the combs and
brushes； and looked at me； then looked at the toilet…table；
searching for something which she apparently failed to find。
〃Where do you keep it？〃 she asked。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Look at your complexion； ma'am。 You will frighten him if he sees
you like that。 A touch of color you _must_ have。 Where do you
keep it？ What！ you haven't got it？ you never use it？ Dear； dear；
dear me！〃
For a moment surprise fairly deprived her of her self…possession。
Recovering herself； she begged permission to leave me for a
minute。 I let her go； knowing what her errand was。 She came back
with a box of paint and powders； and I said nothing to check her。
I saw； in the glass； my skin take a false fairness； my cheeks a
false color； my eyes a false brightnessand I never shrank from
it。 No！ I let the odious conceit go on； I even admired the
extraordinary delicacy and dexterity with which it was all done。
〃Anything〃 （I thought to myself； in the madness of that miserable
time） 〃so long as it helps me to win the Major's confidence！
Anything； so long as I discover what those last words of my
husband's really mean！〃
The transformation of my face was accomplished。 The chambermaid
pointed with her wicked forefinger in the direction of the glass。
〃Bear in mind； ma'am； what you looked like when you sent for me；〃
she said。 〃And just see for yourself how you look now。 You're the
prettiest woman （of your style） in London。 Ah what a thing
pearl…powder is； when one knows how to use it！〃
CHAPTER VIII。
THE FRIEND OF THE WOMEN。
I FIND it impossible to describe my sensations while the
carriage was taking me to Major Fitz…David's house。 I doubt；
indeed； if I really felt or thought at all； in the true sense of
those words。
From the moment when I had resigned myself into the hands of the
chambermaid I seemed in some strange way to have lost my ordinary
identityto have stepped out of my own character。 At other times
my temperament was of the nervous and anxious sort； and my
tendency was to exaggerate any difficulties that might place
themselves in my way。 At other times； having before me the
prospect of a critical interview with a stranger； I should have
considered with myself what it might be wise to pass over； and
what it might be wise to say。 Now I never gave my coming
interview with the Major a thought； I felt an unreasoning
confidence in myself； and a blind faith in _him_。 Now neither the
past nor the future troubled me； I lived unreflectingly in the
present。 I looked at the shops as we drove by them； and at the
other carriages as they passed mine。 I noticedyes； and
enjoyedthe glances of admiration which chance foot…passengers
on the pavement cast on me。 I said to myself； 〃This looks well
for my prospect of making a friend of the Major！〃 When we drew up
at the door in Vivian Place； it is no exaggeration to say that I
had but one anxietyanxiety to find the Major at home。
The door was opened by a servant out of livery； an old man who
looked as if he might have been a soldier in his earlier days。 He
eyed me with a grave attention； which relaxed little by little
into sly approval。 I asked for Major Fitz…David。 The answer was
not altogether encouraging： the man was not sure whether his
master were at home or not。
I gave him my card。 My cards； being part of my wedding outfit；
necessarily had the false name printed on them_Mrs。 Eustace
Woodville_。 The servant showed me into a front room on the
ground…floor； and disappeared with my card in his hand。
Looking about me； I noticed a door in the wall opposite the
window； communicating with some inner room。 The door was not of
the ordinary kind。 It fitted into the thickness of the partition
wall； and worked in grooves。 Looking a little nearer； I saw that
it had not been pulled out so as completely to close the doorway。
Only the merest chink was left； but it was enough to convey to my
ears all that passed in the next room。
〃What did you say； Oliver； when she asked for me？〃 inquired a
man's voice； pitched cautiously in a low key。
〃I said I was not sure you were at home； sir；〃 answered the voice
of the servant who had let me in。
There was a pause。 The first speaker was evidently Major
Fitz…David himself。 I waited to hear more。
〃I think I had better not see her； Oliver；〃 the Major's voice
resumed。
〃Very good； sir。〃
〃Say I have gone out； and you don't know when I shall be back
again。 Beg the lady to write； if she has any business with me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Stop； Oliver！〃
Oliver stopped。 There was another and longer pause。 Then the
master resumed the examination of the man。
〃Is she young； Oliver？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Andpretty？〃
〃Better than pretty； sir； to my thinking。〃
〃Aye？ aye？ What you call a fine womaneh； Oliver？〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃
〃Tall？〃
〃Nearly as tall as I am； Major。〃
〃Aye？ aye？ aye？ A good figure？〃
〃As slim as a sapling； sir； and as upright as a dart。〃
〃On second thoughts； I am at home； Oliver。 Show her in！ show her
in！〃
So far； one thing at least seemed to be clear。 I had done well in
sending for the chambermaid。 What would Oliver's report of me
have been if I had presented myself to him with my colorless
cheeks and my ill…dressed hair？
The servant reappeared； and conducted me to the inner room。 Major
Fitz…David advanced to welcome me。 What was the Major like？
Well； he was like a well…preserved old gentleman of； say； sixty
years old； little and lean； and chiefly remarkable by the
extraordinary length of his nose。 After this feature； I noticed
next his beautiful brown wig； his sparkling little gray eyes； his
rosy complexion； his short military whisker； dyed to match his
wig； his white teeth and his winning smile； his smart blue
frock…coat； with a camellia in the button…hole； and his splendid
ring； a ruby； flashing on his little finger as he courteously
signed to me to take a chair。
〃Dear Mrs。 Woodville； how very kind of you this is！ I have been
longing to have the happiness of knowing you。 Eustace is an old
friend of mine。 I congratulated him when I heard of his marriage。
May I make a confession？I envy him now I have seen his wife。〃
The future of my life was perhaps in this man's hands。 I studied
him attentively： I tried to read his character in his face。
The Major's sparkling little gray eyes softened as they looked at
me； the Major's strong and sturdy voice dropped to its lowest and
tenderest tones when he spoke to me； the Major's manner
expressed； from the moment when I entered the room； a happy
mixture of admiration and respect。 He drew his chair close to
mine； as if it were a privilege to be near me。 He took my hand
and lifted my glove to his lips； as if that glove were the most
delicious luxury the world could produce。 〃Dear Mrs。 Woodville；〃
he said； as he softly laid my hand back on my lap； 〃bear with an
old fellow who worships your enchanting sex。 You really brighten
this dull house。 It is _such_ a pleasure to see you！〃
There was no need for the old gentleman to make his little
confession。 Women； children； and dogs proverbially know by
instinct who the people are who really like them。 The women had a
warm friendperhaps at one time a dangerously warm friendin
Major Fitz…David。 I knew as much of him as that before I had
settled myself in my chair and opened my lips to answer him。
〃Thank you； Major； for your kind reception and your pretty
compliment；〃 I said； matching my host's easy tone as closely as
the necessary restraints on my side would permit。 〃You have made
your confession。 May I make mine？〃
Major Fitz…David lifted my hand again from my lap and drew his
chair as close as possible to mine。 I looked at him gravely and
tried to release my hand。 Major Fitz…David declined to let go of
it； and proceeded to tell me why。
〃I have just heard you speak for the first time；〃 he said。 〃I am
under the charm of your voice。 Dear Mrs。 Woodville； bear with an
old fellow who is under the charm！ Don't grudge me my innocent
little pleasures。 Lend meI wish I could say _give_ methis
pretty hand。 I am such an admirer of pretty hands！ I can listen
so much better with a pretty hand in mine。 The ladies indulge my
weakness。 Please indulge me too。 Yes？ And what were you going to
say？〃
〃I was going to say； Major； that I felt particularly sensible of
your kind welcome because； as it happens； I have a favor to ask
of you。〃
I was conscious； while I spoke； that I was approaching the object
of my visit a little too abruptly。 But Major Fitz…David's
admiration rose from one climax to another with such alarming
rapidity that I felt the importance of administering a practical
check to it。 I trusted to those ominous words； 〃a favor to ask of
you；〃 to administer the check； and I did not trust in vain。 My
aged admirer gently dropped my hand； and； with all possible
politeness； changed the subject。
〃The favor is granted； of course！〃 he said。 〃And now； tell me；
how is our dear Eustace？〃
〃Anxious and out