n London, at an Egyptian fete held there, or
something of the kind."

"As you said, Egypt has so many souls, but its heavens have only one.
The best starlight night at home is a poor, poor affair compared to
this."

Before he had finished speaking Freddy appeared and claimed Margaret
for a dance. She left Michael almost gladly, yet hating the feeling
that they were still as far apart as they had been when they sat down
to supper.

What a strange night it had been! The one half pure joy and the other
certainly not happiness.

Alone in the open space in front of the hotel, Michael stood and cursed
his own weakness. Why had he stooped to those lips? Why had he
allowed himself to be unworthy of his intimacy with Margaret? He was
sorry for Mrs. Mervill, for he believed her stories about her husband's
drunkenness and degrading habits, as he almost believed that she had
for some strange reason fallen in love with himself. He wished with
all his might that women were nicer to one another, so that one of
them, a woman like Margaret, for instance, might have given this
lonely, lovely creature the affection and intimate friendship she
craved for. Women shunned her and so she had to resort to men for the
companionship and also for the affection she needed.

Michael understood very well the pleasures of sympathetic friendships;
he was conscious that to himself human sympathy meant a very great
deal, and so he felt sincerely sorry for the woman who was denied it.
He liked the quiet places of the untrodden world; cities had no charm
for him. But he needed human sympathy in his solitude to make his
enjoyment complete. He felt sorely annoyed with the fates which made
it impossible for him to give Mrs. Mervill all that she asked of him
and at the same time continue on the footing on which he had been with
Margaret.

And how was it that he could not? How was it that Margaret had
instantly divined that there was more than an ordinary or desirable
intimacy between Mrs. Mervill and himself? How was it that he had felt
dishonoured and ashamed?

He had to return to the ball-room to find his partner for the next
dance. As he did so, he passed Mrs. Mervill, who was coming out of it.
She looked at him with laughing eyes, a soft, beautiful creature, of
supple movements, whose perfect lips had told him the promises which
she was capable of fulfilling. If he had not known Margaret, what
would he have done?

But Margaret held