old him I should be quite pleased. By
the bye," Phoebe added, "I met Sybil Clynesworth the other day. She
said that Jimmy and his wife would soon be home."

"They are still living together," said Lawrence.

They had not returned to England since their wedding, and it seemed
that Bridget had passed entirely out of Carrissima's life, after
occupying a considerable space in it for many weeks. Whatever the
future might prove concerning her influence over Jimmy, it certainly
appeared that she had brought nothing but mischief upon the household
in Grandison Square.

Colonel Faversham had never been quite the same man since that morning
he went to Number 5, Golfney Place, and found that Bridget had
departed. Signs of age had become suddenly visible; he devoted his
life less to golf, and spent far more time at home--not an unmitigated
advantage to his daughter.

As for Carrissima, she did her best to take a calm survey of the
situation, but without being able to understand why Mark continued to
sulk in his tent. If he really loved her, surely he would before now
have admitted his own fault and made allowances for the momentary
indiscretion which was provoked by Carrissima's knowledge of it.

As a matter of fact, Mark felt as deeply vexed with himself as with
her. But for his own lamentable weakness, he might have proved more
tolerant of Carrissima's shortcoming; the circumstance that his own
withers were wrung, made a _rapprochement_ less likely. There were
moments when he wished that he had taken a different line from the
beginning; but having already held aloof from Grandison Square so long,
it became increasingly difficult to venture near the house.

Carrissima, who had not seen his face for several months, met him with
Mrs. Bunbury and her daughter in Regent Street, and promptly came to
the conclusion that his younger companion might prove quite dangerously
attractive. At least, she presented a striking contrast to Bridget,
being very quietly dressed, with dark hair, large "saucer" eyes, and a
general appearance of demureness.

Phoebe had, as Carrissima knew, formed an exceedingly favourable
opinion of Mary Bunbury, who had dined with her mother and Mark in
Charteris Street. Carrissima wondered that she had not been invited to
meet them, and realized that a year ago she would have been the first
person to whom Mark appealed to help in their entertainment. Instead
of taking advantage of the present encounte