she hears that you are going by the same train she will wait
until to…morrow； and I believe the delay would be very
disagreeable。 Will you inflict that additional pain upon her？〃
Trefusis； evidently concerned； looking doubtfully at Erskine； and
pondered for a moment。 〃I think you are on a wrong scent about
this；〃 he said。 〃My relations with Miss Lindsay were not of a
sentimental kind。 Have you said anything to heron your own
account； I mean？〃
〃I have spoken to her on both accounts； and I know from her own
lips that I am right。〃
Trefusis uttered a low whistle。
〃It is not the first time I have had the evidence of my senses in
the matter；〃 said Erskine significantly。 〃 Pray think of it
seriously； Trefusis。 Forgive my telling you frankly that nothing
but your own utter want of feeling could excuse you for the way
in which you have acted towards her。〃
Trefusis smiled。 〃Forgive me in turn for my inquisitiveness；〃 he
said。 〃What does she say to your suit？〃
Erskine hesitated； showing by his manner that he thought Trefusis
had no right to ask the question。 〃She says nothing；〃 he
answered。
〃Hm！〃 said Trefusis。 〃Well； you may rely on me as to the train。
There is my hand upon it。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Erskine fervently。 They shook hands and parted；
Trefusis walking away with a grin suggestive of anything but good
faith。
CHAPTER XVII
Gertrude； unaware of the extent to which she had already betrayed
her disappointment； believed that anxiety for her father's
health； which she alleged as the motive of her sudden departure；
was an excuse plausible enough to blind her friends to her
overpowering reluctance to speak to Agatha or endure her
presence； to her fierce shrinking from the sort of pity usually
accorded to a jilted woman； and； above all； to her dread of
meeting Trefusis。 She had for some time past thought of him as an
upright and perfect man deeply interested in her。 Yet；
comparatively liberal as her education had been； she had no idea
of any interest of man in woman existing apart from a desire to
marry。 He had； in his serious moments； striven to make her
sensible of the baseness he saw in her worldliness； flattering
her by his apparent convictionwhich she sharedthat she was
capable of a higher life。 Almost in the same breath； a strain of
gallantry which was incorrigible in him； and to which his humor
and his tenderness to women whom he liked gave variety and charm；
would supervene upon his seriousness with a rapidity which her
far less flexible temperament could not follow。 Hence she；
thinking him still in earnest when he had swerved into florid
romance； had been dangerously misled。 He had no conscientious
scruples in his love…making； because he was unaccustomed to
consider himself as likely to inspire love in women； and Gertrude
did not know that her beauty gave to an hour spent alone with her
a transient charm which few men of imagination and address could
resist。 She； who had lived in the marriage market since she had
left school； looked upon love…making as the most serious business
of life。 To him it was only a pleasant sort of trifling； enhanced
by a dash of sadness in the reflection that it meant so little。
Of the ceremonies attending her departure； the one that cost her
most was the kiss she felt bound to offer Agatha。 She had been
jealous of her at college； where she had esteemed herself the
better bred of the two； but that opinion had hardly consoled her
for Agatha's superior quickness of wit； dexterity of hand；
audacity； aptness of resource； capacity for forming or following
intricate associations of ideas； and consequent power to dazzle
others。 Her jealousy of these qualities was now barbed by the
knowledge that they were much nearer akin than her own to those
of Trefusis。 It mattered little to her how she appeared to
herself in comparison with Agatha。 But it mattered the whole
world （she thought） that she must appear to Trefusis so slow；
stiff； cold； and studied； and that she had no means to make him
understand that she was not really so。 For she would not admit
the justice of impressions made by what she did not intend to do；
however habitually she did it。 She had a theory that she was not
herself； but what she would have liked to be。 As to the one
quality in which she had always felt superior to Agatha； and
which she called 〃 good breeding；〃 Trefusis had so far destroyed
her conceit in that； that she was beginning to doubt whether it
was not her cardinal defect。
She could not bring herself to utter a word as she embraced her
schoolfellow； and Agatha was tongue…tied too。 But there was much
remorseful tenderness in the feelings that choked them。 Their
silence would have been awkward but for the loquacity of Jane；
who talked enough for all three。 Sir Charles was without； in the
trap； waiting to drive Gertrude to the station。 Erskine
intercepted her in the hall as she passed out； told her that he
should be desolate when she was gone； and begged her to remember
him； a simple petition which moved her a little； and caused her
to note that his dark eyes had a pleading eloquence which she had
observed before in the kangaroos at the Zoological Society's
gardens。
On the way to the train Sir Charles worried the horse in order to
be excused from conversation on the sore subject of his guest's
sudden departure。 He had made a few remarks on the skittishness
of young ponies； and on the weather； and that was all until they
reached the station； a pretty building standing in the open
country； with a view of the river from the platform。 There were
two flies waiting； two porters； a bookstall； and a refreshment
room with a neglected beauty pining behind the bar。 Sir Charles
waited in the booking office to purchase a ticket for Gertrude；
who went through to the platform。 The first person she saw there
was Trefusis； close beside her。
〃I am going to town by this train； Gertrude；〃 he said quickly。
〃Let me take charge of you。 I have something to say； for I hear
that some mischief has been made between us which must be stopped
at once。 You〃
Just then Sir Charles came out； and stood amazed to see them in
conversation。
〃It happens that I am going by this train；〃 said Trefusis。 〃I
will see after Miss Lindsay。〃
〃Miss Lindsay has her maid with her；〃 said Sir Charles； almost
stammering； and looking at Gertrude； whose expression was
inscrutable。
〃We can get into the Pullman car；〃 said Trefusis。 〃There we shall
be as private as in a corner of a crowded drawing…room。 I may
travel with you； may I not？〃 he said； seeing Sir Charles's
disturbed look； and turning to her for express permission。
She felt that to deny him would be to throw away her last chance
of happiness。 Nevertheless she resolved to do it； though she
should die of grief on the way to London。 As she raised her head
to forbid him the more emphatically； she met his gaze； which was
grave and expectant。 For an instant she lost her presence of
mind； and in that instant said； 〃 Yes。 I shall be very glad。〃
〃Well； if that is the case；〃 said Sir Charles； in the tone of one
whose sympathy had been alienated by an unpardonable outrage； 〃
there can be no use in my waiting。 I leave you in the hands of
Mr。 Trefusis。 Good…bye； Miss Lindsay。〃
Gertrude winced。 Unkindness from a man usually kind proved hard
to bear at parting。 She was offering him her hand in silence when
Trefusis said：
〃Wait and see us off。 If we chance to be killed on the
journeywhich is always probable on an English railwayyou will
reproach yourself afterwards if you do not see the last of us。
Here is the train； it will not delay you a minute。 Tell Erskine
that you saw me here； that I have not forgotten my promise； and
that he may rely on me。 Get in at this end； Miss Lindsay。〃
〃My maid；〃 said Gertrude hesitating； for she had not intended to
travel so expensively。 〃She〃
〃She comes with us to take care of me； I have tickets for
everybody；〃 said Trefusis； handing the woman in。
〃But〃
〃Take your seats； please；〃 said the guard。 〃Going by the train；
sir？〃
〃Good…bye； Sir Charles。 Give my love to Lady Brandon； and Agatha；
and the dear children； and thanks so much for a very pleasant〃
Here the train moved off； and Sir Charles； melting； smiled and
waved his hat until he caught sight of Trefusis looking back at
him with a grin which seemed； under the circumstances； so
Satanic； that he stopped as if petrified in the midst of his
gesticulations； and stood with his arm out like a semaphore。
The drive home restored him somewhat； but he wee still full of
his surprise when he rejoined Agatha； his wife； and Erskine in
the drawing…room at the Beeches。 The moment he entered； he said
without preface； 〃She has gone off with Trefusis。〃
Erskine； who had been reading； started up； clutching his book as
if about to hurl it at someone； and cried； 〃Was he at the train？〃
〃Yes； and has gone to town by it。〃
〃Then；〃 said Erskine； flinging the book violently on the floor；
〃he is a scoundrel and a liar。〃
〃What is the matter？〃 said Agatha rising； whilst Jane stared
open…mouthed at him。
〃I beg your pardon； Miss Wylie； I forgot you。 He pledged me his
honor that he would not go by that train。 I will。〃 He hurried
from the room。 Sir Charles rushed after him； and overtook him at
the foot of the stairs。
〃Where are you going？ What do you want to do？〃
〃I will follow the train and catch it at the next station。 I can
do it on my bicycle。〃
〃Nonsense！ you're mad。 They have thirty…five minutes start； and
the train travels forty…five miles an hour。〃
Erskine sat down on the stairs and gazed blankly at the opposite
wall。
〃You must have mistaken him；〃 said Sir Charles。 〃He told me to
tell you that he had not forgotten his promise； and that you may
rely on him。〃
〃What is the matter？〃 said Agatha； coming down； followed by Lady
Brandon。
〃Miss Wylie；〃 said Erskine； springing up； 〃he gave me his word
that he would not go by that train when I told him Miss Lindsay
was going by it。 He has broken his word and seized the
opportunity I was mad and credulous enough to tell him of。 If I
had been in your place； Brandon； I would have strangled him or
thrown him under the w