; I've missed Virginia, I mean Zoe, horribly! It seems
so endless, the day, now that Hubert's cross."

"Is he still sick?" the other asked. He only knew till now what people
said. He was dying to hear, but she was so funny.

"Sick," she laughed mirthlessly. "That is a lovely word for it! He
seems to be entirely different. I knew directly it came out, I had
done something awful, but I thought he would understand and see I
hadn't meant him really and forgive. But he gets worse and worse. I
think his friends keep teasing him, and then he can't get on with his
book in the least. It's sickening."

The artist was encouraged to a blow at his old enemy. "I expect really
he's jealous of your success. He's always sensitive. He hates anybody
his own age succeeding better." It was the first time she had ever
said, or listened to, anything against her husband.

Helena was silent for a moment, dazed. Did this explain his harshness?
Was he really jealous?

"Oh, I don't think so," she said, not letting herself think, for all
the puzzling little bits began to fit, now, with a deadly ease. "I
don't think it's that. He's naturally--'sick'!" and she forced out a
laugh.

"I'm so sorry," he said. It was his first attempt at sympathy. Their
talk had been on flippant lines.

She did not dare to look at him, remembering how funny he was when
quite serious. "Thank you, Ally," she said gently. He was a good sort.

"_I_'m sorry," he repeated. "You know that, Zoe, don't you? I'm your
pal, whatever Hubert is."

"Hubert's splendid," she said, childishly inadequate; and with these
words, she who had been a hard woman for long days--melted perhaps by
fatal sympathy or her own noble lie--suddenly found hot tears streaming
down her cheeks. She turned away, ashamed, and hoped he would not see.

But he had seen.

What they had said just now had been enough--and this was far too much.
Dear little Zoe--pretty little girl, too--married to that great swine
Brett--in trouble--crying--wanting to be cheered.

The worst, of course, of keeping harmless vices as tame pets is that
for years they only come out when needed and are very pleasant. Then,
however, as time makes them stronger, comes the fatal moment when they
gain the mastery, turn on their former owner and drag him where they
will.

This was such a moment for Geoffrey Alison.

All those nice exciting stories, laudably abstract, bulked suddenly
into the real. Here