w that? What a lot I could
teach you if Aymer would hand you over. Listen, Master Christopher,
love is the only thing men want to think about alone, just as it's the
only thing a woman never wants to keep to herself. You could think to
much better advantage at Marden but it's no use telling you so. You
won't believe it."

"I do believe it, only it's not a question of _my_ advantage, you
see."

"There spoke Aymer's pupil. Remember roads take a good deal of making
and short cuts were made for--lovers."

She returned to the fire and stood there looking at him with an
interest that surprised herself: a tall, gracious presence whose
knowledge of his secret hurt not one bit, so clearly did it lie within
the realms wherein all gracious, tender women reign.

Then she changed the subject quite abruptly, thrust it back into those
hazy regions of speculation from which Christopher had so hardly and
impatiently dragged it the previous night.

"I wonder if your mother were alive, if she would be satisfied with
you, Christopher, and if she would still want to make a socialist of
you."

"My mother?" he echoed dully.

For a while he struggled with a strange inability to lay hold on the
shadowy form he knew so well. He looked round the beautiful room that
was but a setting to a lovely woman and then back at her. Why had she
spoken of his mother? He again attempted to crystallise the thought of
the dearly loved, defeated woman in the presence of her to whom the
world denied nothing.

"I can't do it," he said aloud with a quick breath.

"Do what?" she queried swiftly, but got no answer.

"Was my mother a socialist?" he asked presently with difficulty.

"So I have always understood."

"Who told you so?"

"My father. I thought you knew that, Christopher, or I should not have
mentioned it. All I know is, she chose to be poor rather than expose
you to the dangers of wealth. I know nothing else."

Christopher stood up. "Thank you," he said, "I believe I did know
that, but I have never been reminded of it. I do not know her story: I
suppose she did not wish me to know it, but I do know whatever she
chose, whatever she did, it was chosen and done because it seemed to
her the right course and therefore the only one she could take."

Constantia nodded, still gazing at the fire.

"Aymer's training on the top of that," she mused, "I suppose you are
accounted for."

He grew red and looked a boy again. "I should have much to acc