e chance you had. It is
affectation to pretend that it is your fault. The only blame would be
to go on living in a false condition."

"I know it, I know it! I've been feeling it more and more strongly.
It's not fair to Katrine; it's not fair to me or to my work. But what
can I do? I brought her here, she has given up her youth to looking
after me, there's no other home open, to her--I don't pretend that her
happiness is bound up in mine, but she _thinks_ that it is, and that's
virtually the same thing. She would feel desperately aggrieved--"

"Oh, you unselfish people, there's no dealing with you!" Grizel
shrugged impatiently. "_Let_ her feel aggrieved! If it's a case of
smarting for a week, or freezing for life, then let her _smart_! Can't
you make up your mind just for once in your life to speak the bold,
blatant truth? `Katrine, my dear, we are getting sick of each other--
let's cut it, and part! I'll give you an allowance--go off and pay
visits, or set up a crib of your own, enjoy yourself in your own way,
but for Heaven's sake let me be happy too!'"

Martin shook his head.

"I couldn't, Grizel; I couldn't! It may be the right thing to do, but
I'm a coward. I can't face it. Not that way!"

Grizel looked at him whimsically. Men--the best of men, were so apt to
believe that so long as the words were not actually spoken, their
feelings remained concealed. And woman,--the pity of it!--could read
the meaning of a sign. This woman already had read the signs.
Undoubtedly, inevitably, a change was at hand!

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Despite her growing indifference towards neighbouring festivities,
Katrine could not resist a thrill of excitement in preparing for the
Barfield Garden Party, which was in truth no ordinary local function,
but an important, almost a national, fete. Among the guests royalty
itself might appear; foreign potentates, ambassadors, distinguished
politicians, disciples of the arts and sciences would be on show on the
wide lawns, and within the splendid rooms of the old Castle. It would
be, as Katrine herself had said, a very Zoological Garden of lions,
among whom an insignificant spinster from a country town must of
necessity appear the smallest of small fry.

Martin, of course, owned a roar of his own, a minor roar, but still
distinguishable among the rest, but his sister had no claim to
celebrity. Her aim was theoretically to see, not to be seen, but the
theory did not preven