eels like to be in love. When you do, you will understand.
What a lot you have still to learn! You won't believe any old lie that
comes along about the girl you have vowed to trust and whom you believe
in as you believe in your God. As lovers we Lamptons don't deal in
half measures."

"Then are you going to remain in Cairo indefinitely, waiting and
waiting for Michael to come back to you, when he is away fooling with
another woman?"

"Don't kill me, Freddy! I can't stand much more." A sob burst from
Meg's lips. "All that's best in me trusts in Michael and all that is
bad doubts and distrusts. It's the bad that is killing me. Do you
understand? For pity's sake, if you care for me, don't add to the
evil, don't give it the upper hand. Freddy, I need you, I need some
trust to add to mine!"

"I'd kill myself if it would help you, you know I would!"

"Yes, I know it, of course I know it. I just go mad when you doubt
him, Freddy, I see red. I could kill you. It's because your doubts
feed my evil thoughts. I can't explain, but I know what I mean myself."

"I want to save you further pain, Meg."

"Hadassah Ireton said, which is quite true, that it is sometimes a
privilege to suffer. If only you, Freddy, won't doubt Mike, I can
endure almost anything. You're just a bit of myself. I can't bear you
to doubt. It's like myself doubting and forgetting, forgetting the
most beautiful thing in my life."

They had wandered on until they had come to the Nile Bridge. The sight
of the tall masts of the native boats, silhouetted against the crimson
of the evening sky, reminded Freddy that already they had gone too far.
He stopped abruptly.

"We must drive back, Meg, as quickly as we can. I've my train to
catch. We shall only just do it."

"Did you come to Cairo on purpose to see me?"

Freddy had signalled to a cab--an open landau, of ancient and decayed
splendour, driven by two white horses. They came dashing up at a wild
gallop. The native driver, in his red fez and white cotton jacket,
barely gave Freddy time to jump into the carriage after Meg was seated
when, with a noisy cracking of his whip, he urged the horses to a still
more reckless speed.

"I had to come. I was afraid you might get the news in some horrible
way. You've been a brick, but you can't think how I dreaded telling
you."

"I've not been a brick. I've been horrid. I am always horrid
nowadays." Meg's voice was contrite and humble.