omplete.

He went to see Lady Evenswood one day; she had sent to express her
desire for a talk before she fled to the country. She had much that was
pleasant to say, much of the prospects of his success, of his
"training-on," as easy-mannered Theo had put it to Mina Zabriska.

"And if you do, you'll be able to think now that you've done it all off
your own bat," she ended.

"You've found out my weaknesses, I see," he laughed.

"Oh, I doubt if there's any such thing as an absolute strength or an
absolute weakness. They're relative. What's an advantage in one thing is
a disadvantage in another."

"I understand," he smiled. "My confounded conceit may help me on in the
world, but it doesn't make me a grateful friend or a pleasant
companion?"

"I believe George Southend agrees as far as the grateful friend part of
it is concerned. And I'm told Lord Hove does as to the rest. But then it
was only Flora Disney herself who said so."

"And what do you say?"

"Oh, pride's tolerable in anybody except a lover," she declared.

"Well, I've known lovers too humble. I told one so once; he believed me,
went in, and won."

"You gave him courage, not pride, Mr Tristram."

"Perhaps that's true. He's very likely got the pride by now." He smiled
at his thoughts of Bob Broadley.

"And you've settled down in the new groove?" she asked.

He hesitated a moment. "Oh, nearly. Possibly there's still a touch of
the 'Desdichado,' about me. His would be the only shield I could carry,
you see."

"Stop! Well, I forgive you. You're not often bitter about that. But
you're very bitter about something, Mr Tristram."

"I want to work, and nobody will in August. You can't get the better of
your enemies if they're with their families at Margate or in the
Engadine."

"Oh, go down and stay at Blent. No, I'm serious. You say you're proud.
There's a good way of showing good pride. Go and stay in the very house.
If you do that, I shall think well of you--and even better than I think
now of the prospects."

"I've not been invited."

"Poor girl, she's afraid to invite you! Write and say you're coming."

"She'd go away. Yes, she would. She consents to live there only on
condition that I never come. She's told me so."

"I'm too old a woman to know your family! You upset the wisdom of ages,
and I haven't time to learn anything new."

"I'm not the least surprised. If I were in her place, I should hate to
have her there."

"Nonsense. In a mont