followed the procession； which was by this time out of sight。
Sir Charles； who； waiting to speak； had been repeatedly baffled
by the hasty speeches of his wife and the unhesitating replies of
Trefusis； now turned angrily upon her； saying：
〃What do you mean by inviting that fellow to my house ？〃
〃Your house； indeed！ I will invite whom I please。 You are getting
into one of your tempers。〃
Sir Charles looked about him。 Erskine had discreetly slipped
away； and was in the road； tightening a screw in his bicycle。 The
few persons who remained were out of earshot。
〃Who and what the devil is he； and how do you come to know him？〃
he demanded。 He never swore in the presence of any lady except
his wife； and then only when they were alone。
〃He is a gentleman； which is more than you are；〃 she retorted；
and； with a cut of her whip that narrowly missed her husband's
shoulder； sent the bay plunging through the gap。
〃Come along；〃 she said to Erskine。 〃We shall be late for
luncheon。〃
〃Had we not better wait for Sir Charles？〃 he asked injudiciously。
〃Never mind Sir Charles； he is in the sulks；〃 she said； without
abating her voice。 〃Come along。〃 And she went off at a canter；
Erskine following her with a misgiving that his visit was
unfortunately timed。 unworthy of yourself； and that a net is
closing round you？〃
〃No。 Nothing of the sort！〃
〃Then why are you so anxious to get away？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Agatha； affecting to laugh as he looked
sceptically at her from beneath his lowered eyelids。 〃Perhaps I
do feel a little like that； but not so much as you say。〃
〃I will explain the emotion to you；〃 he said； with a subdued
ardor that affected Agatha strangely。 〃But first tell me whether
it is new to you or not。〃
〃It is not an emotion at all。 I did not say that it was。〃
〃Do not be afraid of it。 It is only being alone with a man whom
you have bewitched。 You would be mistress of the situation if you
only knew how to manage a lover。 It is far easier than managing a
horse； or skating； or playing the piano； or half a dozen other
feats of which you think nothing。〃
Agatha colored and raised her head。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said； interrupting the action。 〃I am trying to
offend you in order to save myself from falling in love with you；
and I have not the heart to let myself succeed。 On your life； do
not listen to me or believe me。 I have no right to say these
things to you。 Some fiend enters into me when I am at your side。
You should wear a veil； Agatha。〃
She blushed； and stood burning and tingling； her presence of mind
gone； and her chief sensation one of relief to hearfor she did
not dare to seethat he was departing。 Her consciousness was in
a delicious confusion； with the one definite thought in it that
she had won her lover at last。 The tone of Trefusis's voice； rich
with truth and earnestness； his quick insight； and his passionate
warning to her not to heed him； convinced her that she had
entered into a relation destined to influence her whole life。
〃And yet；〃 she said remorsefully； 〃I cannot love him as he loves
me。 I am selfish； cold； calculating； worldly； and have doubted
until now whether such a thing as love really existed。 If I could
only love him recklessly and wholly； as he loves me！〃
Smilash was also soliloquizing as he went on his way。
〃Now I have made the poor childwho was so anxious that I should
not mistake her for a supernaturally gifted and lovely womanas
happy as an angel； and so is that fine girl whom they call Jane
Carpenter。 I hope they won't exchange confidences on the
subject。〃
CHAPTER XII
On the following Thursday Gertrude； Agatha； and Jane met for the
first time since they had parted at Alton College。 Agatha was the
shyest of the three； and externally the least changed。 She
fancied herself very different from the Agatha of Alton； but it
was her opinion of herself that had altered； not her person。
Expecting to find a corresponding alteration in her friends； she
had looked forward to the meeting with much doubt and little hope
of its proving pleasant。
She was more anxious about Gertrude than about Jane； concerning
whom； at a brief interview in London； she had already discovered
that Lady Brandon's manner； mind； and speech were just what Miss
Carpenter's had been。 But； even from Agatha； Jane commanded more
respect than before； having changed from an overgrown girl into a
fine woman； and made a brilliant match in her first season；
whilst many of her pretty； proud； and clever contemporaries； whom
she had envied at school； were still unmarried； and were having
their homes made uncomfortable by parents anxious to get rid of
the burthen of supporting them； and to profit in purse or
position by their marriages。
This was Gertrude's case。 Like Agatha； she had thrown away her
matrimonial opportunities。 Proud of her rank and exclusiveness；
she had resolved to have as little as possible to do with persons
who did not share both with her。 She began by repulsing the
proffered acquaintance of many families of great wealth and
fashion； who either did not know their grandparents or were
ashamed of them。 Having shut herself out of their circle； she was
presented at court； and thenceforth accepted the invitations of
those only who had； in her opinion； a right to the same honor。
And she was far stricter on that point than the Lord Chamberlain；
who had； she held； betrayed his trust by practically turning
Leveller。 She was well educated； refined in her manners and
habits； skilled in etiquette to an extent irritating to the
ignorant； and gifted with a delicate complexion； pearly teeth；
and a face that would have been Grecian but for a slight upward
tilt of the nose and traces of a square； heavy type in the jaw。
Her father was a retired admiral； with sufficient influence to
have had a sinecure made by a Conservative government expressly
for the maintenance of his son pending alliance with some
heiress。 Yet Gertrude remained single； and the admiral； who had
formerly spent more money than he could comfortably afford on her
education； and was still doing so upon her state and personal
adornment； was complaining so unpleasantly of her failure to get
taken off his hands； that she could hardly bear to live at home；
and was ready to marry any thoroughbred gentleman； however
unsuitable his age or character； who would relieve her from her
humiliating dependence。 She was prepared to sacrifice her natural
desire for youth； beauty； and virtue in a husband if she could
escape from her parents on no easier terms； but she was resolved
to die an old maid sooner than marry an upstart。
The difficulty in her way was pecuniary。 The admiral was poor。 He
had not quite six thousand a year； and though he practiced the
utmost economy in order to keep up the most expensive habits； he
could not afford to give his daughter a dowry。 Now the well born
bachelors of her set； having more blue bood； but much less
wealth； than they needed； admired her； paid her compliments；
danced with her； but could not afford to marry her。 Some of them
even told her so； married rich daughters of tea merchants； iron
founders； or successful stocktrokers； and then tried to make
matches between her and their lowly born brothers…in…law。
So； when Gertrude met Lady Brandon； her lot was secretly
wretched； and she was glad to accept an invitation to Brandon
Beeches in order to escape for a while from the admiral's daily
sarcasms on the marriage list in the 〃Times。〃 The invitation was
the more acceptable because Sir Charles was no mushroom noble；
and； in the schooldays which Gertrude now remembered as the
happiest of her life； she had acknowledged that Jane's family and
connections were more aristocratic than those of any other
student then at Alton； herself excepted。 To Agatha； whose
grandfather had amassed wealth as a proprietor of gasworks
（novelties in his time）； she had never offered her intimacy。
Agatha had taken it by force； partly moral； partly physical。 But
the gasworks were never forgotten； and when Lady Brandon
mentioned； as a piece of delightful news； that she had found out
their old school companion； and had asked her to join them；
Gertrude was not quite pleased。 Yet； when they met； her eyes were
the only wet ones there； for she was the least happy of the
three； and； though she did not know it； her spirit was somewhat
broken。 Agatha； she thought； had lost the bloom of girlhood； but
was bolder； stronger； and cleverer than before。 Agatha had； in
fact； summoned all her self…possession to hide her shyness。 She
detected the emotion of Gertrude； who at the last moment did not
try to conceal it。 It would have been poured out freely in words；
had Gertrude's social training taught her to express her feelings
as well as it had accustomed her to dissemble them。
〃Do you remember Miss Wilson？〃 said Jane； as the three drove from
the railway station to Brandon Beeches。 〃Do you remember Mrs。
Miller and her cat？ Do you remember the Recording Angel？ Do you
remember how I fell into the canal？〃
These reminiscences lasted until they reached the house and went
together to Agatha's room。 Here Jane； having some orders to give
in the household； had to leave themreluctantly； for she was
jealous lest Gertrude should get the start of her in the renewal
of Agatha's affection。 She even tried to take her rival away with
her； but in vain。 Gertrude would not budge。
〃What a beautiful house and splendid place！〃 said Agatha when
Jane was gone。 〃And what a nice fellow Sir Charles is！ We used to
laugh at Jane； but she can afford to laugh at the luckiest of us
now。 I always said she would blunder into the best of everything。
Is it true that she married in her first season？〃
〃Yes。 And Sir Charles is a man of great culture。 I cannot
understand it。 Her size is really beyond everything； and her
manners are bad。〃
〃Hm！〃 said Agatha with a wise air。 〃There was always something
about Jane that attracted men。 And she is more knave than fool。
But she is certainly a great ass。〃
Gertrude looked serious； to imply that she had grown out of the
habit of using or listening to such language。 Agatha； stimulated
by this； continued：
〃Here are