the other night, because you know, dear, you hurt me terribly, and for
a time I really thought you meant it."

"But I do mean it," Robin broke in. "I did and I do. I'm sorry,
Dahlia, for having hurt you, but I thought that you would see it as I
do--that it must, I mean, stop. I had hoped that you would understand."

But she came over and stood by him, smiling rather timidly. "I don't
want to start it all over again," she said. "It was silly of me to
have made such a fuss the other night. I have been thinking all these
ten days, and it has been my fault all along. I have bothered you by
coming here and interfering when I wasn't really wanted. Mother and I
will go away again and then you shall come and stay, and we shall be
all alone--like we were at Cambridge. I have learnt a good deal during
these last few days, and if you will only be patient with me I will try
very hard to improve."

She stood by his chair and laid her hand on his arm. He would have
thrilled at her touch six months before--now he was merely impatient.
It was so annoying that the affair should have to be reopened when they
had decided it finally the other night. He felt again the blind,
unreasoning fear of exposure. He had never before doubted his bravery,
but there had never been any question of attack--the House had been, it
seemed, founded on a rock, he had never doubted its stability before.
Now, with all the cruelty of a man who was afraid for the first time,
he had no mercy.

"It is over, Dahlia--there is no other possibility. We had both made a
mistake; I am sorry and regret extremely if I had led you to think that
it could ever have been otherwise. I see it more clearly than I saw it
ten days ago--quite plainly now--and there's no purpose served in
keeping the matter open; here's an end. We will both forget. Heroics
are no good; after all, we are man and woman--it's better to leave it
at that and accept the future quietly."

He spoke coldly and calmly, indeed he was surprised that he could face
it like that, but his one thought was for peace, to put this spectre
that had haunted him these ten days behind him and watch the world
again with a straight gaze--he must have no secrets.

She had moved away and stood by the fireplace, looking straight before
her. She was holding herself together with a terrible effort; she must
quiet her brain and beat back her thoughts. If she thought for a
moment she would break down, and dur