n was--frailer by far than his years. She alone
knew what fear of his own age, what fear of death haunted him now: fear
of his own non-existence. His own old age was an agony to him; worse
than an agony, a horror. He wanted to be young--to live, to live. And
he was old, he was breaking up. The glistening youth of Aaron, the
impetuousness of Lilly fascinated him. And both these men seemed calmly
to contradict his own wealth and honours.

Lady Franks tried to turn off the conversation to the trickles of normal
chit-chat. The Colonel was horribly bored--so were all the women--Arthur
was indifferent. Only the young Major was implicated, troubled in his
earnest and philosophic spirit.

"What I can't see," he said, "is the place that others have in your
scheme."

"Is isn't a scheme," said Aaron.

"Well then, your way of life. Isn't it pretty selfish, to marry a woman
and then expect her to live on very little indeed, and that always
precarious, just because you happen to believe in Providence or in
Chance: which I think worse? What I don't see is where others come in.
What would the world be like if everybody lived that way?"

"Other people can please themselves," said Aaron.

"No, they can't--because you take first choice, it seems to me.
Supposing your wife--or Lilly's wife--asks for security and for
provision, as Sir William says. Surely she has a right to it."

"If I've no right to it myself--and I HAVE no right to it, if I don't
want it--then what right has she?"

"Every right, I should say. All the more since you are improvident."

"Then she must manage her rights for herself. It's no good her foisting
her rights on to me."

"Isn't that pure selfishness?"

"It may be. I shall send my wife money as long as I've money to send."

"And supposing you have none?"

"Then I can't send it--and she must look out for herself."

"I call that almost criminal selfishness."

"I can't help it."

The conversation with the young Major broke off.

"It is certainly a good thing for society that men like you and Mr.
Lilly are not common," said Sir William, laughing.

"Becoming commoner every day, you'll find," interjaculated the Colonel.

"Indeed! Indeed! Well. May we ask you another question, Mr. Sisson? I
hope you don't object to our catechism?"

"No. Nor your judgment afterwards," said Aaron, grinning.

"Then upon what grounds did you abandon your family? I know it is a
tender subject. But Lilly spoke of it to u