had been in your place； Brandon； I would have strangled him or
thrown him under the wheels sooner than let him go。 He has shown
himself in this as in everything else； a cheat； a conspirator； a
man of crooked ways； shifts； tricks； lying sophistries； heartless
selfishness； cruel cynicism〃 He stopped to catch his breath；
and Sir Charles interposed a remonstrance。
〃You are exciting yourself about nothing； Chester。 They are in a
Pullman； with her maid and plenty of people； and she expressly
gave him leave to go with her。 He asked her the question flatly
before my face； and I must say I thought it a strange thing for
her to consent to。 However； she did consent； and of course I was
not in a position to prevent him from going to London if he
pleased。 Don't let us have a scene； old man。 It can't be helped。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 said Erskine； hanging his head。 〃I did not
mean to make a scene。 I beg your pardon。〃
He went away to his room without another word。 Sir Charles
followed and attempted to console him； but Erskine caught his
hand； and asked to be left to himself。 So Sir Charles returned to
the drawing…room； where his wife； at a loss for once； hardly
ventured to remark that she had never heard of such a thing in
her life。
Agatha kept silence。 She had long ago come unconsciously to the
conclusion that Trefusis and she were the only members of the
party at the Beeches who had much common…sense； and this made her
slow to believe that he could be in the wrong and Erskine in the
right in any misunderstanding between them。 She had a slovenly
way of summing up as 〃asses〃 people whose habits of thought
differed from hers。 Of all varieties of man； the minor poet
realized her conception of the human ass most completely； and
Erskine； though a very nice fellow indeed； thoroughly good and
gentlemanly； in her opinion； was yet a minor poet； and therefore
a pronounced ass。 Trefusis； on the contrary； was the last man of
her acquaintance whom she would have thought of as a very nice
fellow or a virtuous gentleman； but he was not an a~s； although
he was obstinate in his Socialistic fads。 She had indeed
suspected him of weakness almost asinine with respect to
Gertrude； but then all men were asses in their dealings with
women； and since he had transferred his weakness to her own
account it no longer seemed to need justification。 And now； as
her concern for Erskine； whom she pitied； wore off； she began to
resent Trefusis's journey with Gertrude as an attack on her
recently acquired monopoly of him。 There was an air of
aristocratic pride about Gertrude which Agatha had formerly
envied； and which she still feared Trefusis might mistake for an
index of dignity and refinement。 Agatha did not believe that her
resentment was the common feeling called jealousy； for she still
deemed herself unique； but it gave her a sense of meanness that
did not improve her spirits。
The dinner was dull。 Lady Brandon spoke in an undertone； as if
someone lay dead in the next room。 Erskine was depressed by the
consciousness of having lost his head and acted foolishly in the
afternoon。 Sir Charles did not pretend to ignore the suspense
they were all in pending intelligence of the journey to London；
he ate and drank and said nothing。 Agatha； disgusted with herself
and with Gertrude； and undecided whether to be disgusted with
Trefusis or to trust him affectionately； followed the example of
her host。 After dinner she accompanied him in a series of songs
by Schubert。 This proved an aggravation instead of a relief。 Sir
Charles； excelling in the expression of melancholy； preferred
songs of that character； and as his musical ideas； like those of
most Englishmen； were founded on what he had heard in church in
his childhood； his style was oppressively monotonous。 Agatha took
the first excuse that presented itself to leave the piano。 Sir
Charles felt that his performance had been a failure； and
remarked； after a cough or two； that he had caught a touch of
cold returning from the station。 Erskine sat on a sofa with his
head drooping； and his palms joined and hanging downward between
his knees。 Agatha stood at the window； looking at the late summer
afterglow。 Jane yawned； and presently broke the silence。
〃You look exactly as you used at school； Agatha。 I could almost
fancy us back again in Number Six。〃
Agatha shook her head。
〃Do I ever look like thatlike myself； as I used to be？〃
〃Never；〃 said Agatha emphatically； turning and surveying the
figure of which Miss Carpenter had been the unripe antecedent。
〃But why？〃 said Jane querulously。 〃I don't see why I shouldn't。 I
am not so changed。〃
〃You have become an exceedingly fine woman； Jane；〃 said Agatha
gravely； and then； without knowing why； turned her attentive gaze
upon Sir Charles； who bore it uneasily； and left the room。 A
minute later he returned with two buff envelopes in his hand。
〃A telegram for you； Miss Wylie； and one for Chester。〃 Erskine
started up； white with vague fears。 Agatha's color went； and came
again with increased richness as she read：
〃I have arrived safe and ridiculously happy。 Read a thousand
things between the lines。 I will write tomorrow。 Good night。〃
〃You may read it；〃 said Agatha； handing it to Jane。
〃Very pretty；〃 said Jane。 〃A shilling's worth of
attentionexactly twenty words！ He may well call himself an
economist。〃
Suddenly a crowing laugh from Erskine caused them to turn and
stare at him。 〃What nonsense！〃 he said； blushing。 〃What a fellow
he is！ I don't attach the slightest importance to this。〃
Agatha took a corner of his telegram and pulled it gently。
〃No； no；〃 he said； holding it tightly。 〃It is too absurd。 I don't
think I ought〃
Agatha gave a decisive pull； and read the message aloud。 It was
from Trefusis； thus：
〃I forgive your thoughts since Brandon's return。 Write her
to…night； and follow your letter to receive an affirmative answer
in person。 I promised that you might rely on me。 She loves you。〃
〃I never heard of such a thing in my life；〃 said Jane。 〃Never！〃
〃He is certainly a most unaccountable man；〃 said Sir Charles。
〃I am glad； for my own sake； that he is not so black as he is
painted；〃 said Agatha。 〃You may believe every word of it； Mr。
Erskine。 Be sure to do as he tells you。 He is quite certain to be
right。〃
〃Pooh！〃 said Erskine； crumpling the telegram and thrusting it
into his pocket as if it were not worth a second thought。
Presently he slipped away； and did not reappear。 When they were
about to retire； Sir Charles asked a servant where he was。
〃In the library； Sir Charles； writing。〃
They looked significantly at one another and went to bed without
disturbing him。
CHAPTER XVIII
When Gertrude found herself beside Trefusis in the Pullman； she
wondered how she came to be travelling with him against her
resolution； if not against her will。 In the presence of two women
scrutinizing her as if they suspected her of being there with no
good purpose； a male passenger admiring her a little further off；
her maid reading Trefusis's newspapers just out of earshot； an
uninterested country gentleman looking glumly out of window； a
city man preoccupied with the 〃Economist；〃 and a polite lady who
refrained from staring but not from observing； she felt that she
must not make a scene； yet she knew he had not come there to hold
an ordinary conversation。 Her doubt did not last long。 He began
promptly； and went to the point at once。
〃What do you think of this engagement of mine？〃
This was more than she could bear calmly。 〃What is it to me？〃 she
said indignantly。 〃I have nothing to do with it。〃
〃Nothing！ You are a cold friend to me then。 I thought you one of
the surest I possessed。〃
She moved as if about to look at him； but checked herself； closed
her lips； and fixed her eyes on the vacant seat before her。 The
reproach he deserved was beyond her power of expression。
〃I cling to that conviction still； in spite of Miss Lindsay's
indifference to my affairs。 But I confess I hardly know how to
bring you into sympathy with me in this matter。 In the first
place； you have never been married； I have。 In the next； you are
much younger than I； in more respects than that of years。 Very
likely half your ideas on the subject are derived from fictions
in which happy results are tacked on to conditions very
ill…calculated to produce themwhich in real life hardly ever do
produce them。 If our friendship were a chapter in a novel； what
would be the upshot of it？ Why； I should marry you； or you break
your heart at my treachery。〃
Gertrude moved her eyes as if she had some intention of taking to
flight。
〃But our relations being those of real lifefar sweeter； after
allI never dreamed of marrying you； having gained and enjoyed
your friendship without that eye to business which our nineteenth
century keeps open even whilst it sleeps。 You； being equally
disinterested in your regard for me； do not think of breaking
your heart； but you are； I suppose； a little hurt at my
apparently meditating and resolving on such a serious step as
marriage with Agatha without confiding my intention to you。 And
you punish me by telling me that you have nothing to do with it
that it is nothing to you。 But I never meditated the step； and so
had nothing to conceal from you。 It was conceived and executed in
less than a minute。 Although my first marriage was a silly love
match and a failure； I have always admitted to myself that I
should marry again。 A bachelor is a man who shirks
responsibilities and duties； I seek them； and consider it my
duty； with my monstrous superfluity of means； not to let the
individualists outbreed me。 Still； I was in no hurry； having
other things to occupy me； and being fond of my bachelor freedom；
and doubtful sometimes whether I had any right to bring more
idlers into the world for the workers to feed。 Then came the
usual difficulty about the lady。 I did not want a helpmeet； I can
help myself。 Nor did I expect to be loved devotedly； for the race
has not yet evolved a man lovable on thorough acquaintance； even
my self…love is neither thorough nor constant。 I wanted a genial
partner for domestic business； and Agatha struck me