I shall be on the platform to make a sort
of introductory speech and Monti, of course, will accompany. He is the
only accompanist that counts. But then I suppose he's been accompanying
somebody or other ever since he was a little boy, so it's second nature
to him. And you must come, and bring your husband. Does he go with you
to places? Very nice of him. Nowadays if husbands and wives don't
occasionally go to the same parties they have hardly any opportunity of
meeting at all; that's what I always say. But then, of course, _you're_
still almost on your honeymoon, aren't you? Charming!'

In the dining-room Cricker was confiding in Aylmer, while Vincy and
Bruce discussed the Old Master.

'Awful, you know,' Cricker said, in a low voice--' this girl's mania
for me! I get wires and telephones all day long; she hardly gives me
time to shave. And she's jolly pretty, so I don't like to chuck it; in
fact, I daren't. But her one cry is 'Cold; cold; cold!' She says I'm as
cold as a stone. What do you thing of that?'

'You may be a stone, and a rolling one at that, said Aylmer, 'but there
are other pebbles on the beach, I daresay.'

'I bet not one of them as stony as I am!' cried Cricker.

Cricker came a little nearer, lowering his voice again.

'It's a very peculiar case,' he said proudly.

'Of course; it always is.'

'You see, she's frightfully pretty, on the stage, and married! One of
the most awkward positions a person can be in. Mind you, I'm sorry for
her. I thought of consulting you about something if you'll give me a
minute or two, old chap.'

He took out a letter-case.

'I don't mean Ill show you this--oh no, I can't show it--it isn't
compromising.'

'Of course not. No-one really likes to show a really lukewarm love
letter. Besides it would hardly be--'

Cricker put the case back.

My dear chap! I wasn't going to show it to you--I shouldn't dream of
such a thing--to anybody; but I was just going to read you out a
sentence from which you can form an opinion of my predicament. It's no
good mincing matters, old boy, the woman is crazy mad about me--there
you've got it straight--in a nutshell.--Crazy!'

'She certainly can't be very sane,' returned Aylmer.

Before the end of the evening Aylmer had arranged to take the Ottleys
to see a play that was having a run. After this he dropped in to tea to
discuss it and Bruce kept him to dinner.

Day after day went on, and they saw him continually. He had never shown