g abstracted lines of meditation into
his face. 'But it was my own fault: for I ought to have known that these
stage and platform women have what they are pleased to call Bohemianism
so thoroughly engrained with their natures that they are no more constant
to usage in their sentiments than they are in their way of living. Good
Lord, to think she has caught old Mountclere! She is sure to have him if
she does not dally with him so long that he gets cool again.'

'A beautiful creature like her to think of marrying such an infatuated
idiot as he!'

'He can give her a title as well as younger men. It will not be the
first time that such matches have been made.'

'I can't believe it,' said Ladywell vehemently. 'She has too much poetry
in her--too much good sense; her nature is the essence of all that's
romantic. I can't help saying it, though she has treated me cruelly.'

'She has good looks, certainly. I'll own to that. As for her romance
and good-feeling, that I leave to you. I think she has treated you no
more cruelly, as you call it, than she has me, come to that.'

'She told me she would give me an answer in a month,' said Ladywell
emotionally.

'So she told me,' said Neigh.

'And so she told him,' said Ladywell.

'And I have no doubt she will keep her word to him in her usual precise
manner.'

'But see what she implied to me! I distinctly understood from her that
the answer would be favourable.'

'So did I.'

'So does he.'

'And he is sure to be the one who gets it, since only one of us can.
Well, I wouldn't marry her for love, money, nor--'

'Offspring.'

'Exactly: I would not. "I'll give you an answer in a month"--to all
three of us! For God's sake let's sit down here and have something to
drink.'

They drew up a couple of chairs to one of the tables of a wine-shop close
by, and shouted to the waiter with the vigour of persons going to the
dogs. Here, behind the horizontal-headed trees that dotted this part of
the quay, they sat over their bottles denouncing womankind till the sun
got low down upon the river, and the houses on the further side began to
be toned by a blue mist. At last they rose from their seats and
departed, Neigh to dine and consider his route, and Ladywell to take the
train for Dieppe.

While these incidents had been in progress the two workmen had found
their way into the hotel where Ethelberta was staying. Passing through
the entrance, they stood at gaze in the