nd the future might bring what it would.

"I'm a fool to torment myself!" he cried. "After all, what does anything
matter but love?"

Mrs. Wallace was engaged for the afternoon of the next day, but she had
invited him to dine with her.

"They feed you abominably at my place," she said, "but I'll do my best.
And we shall be able to talk."

Until then he would not live; and all sorts of wild, mad thoughts ran
through his head.

"Is there a greater fool on earth than the virtuous prig?" he muttered,
savagely.

He could not sleep, but tossed from side to side, thinking ever of the
soft hands and the red lips that he so ardently wished to kiss. In the
morning he sent to Half Moon Street a huge basket of flowers.

* * *

"It was good of you," said Mrs. Wallace, when he arrived, pointing to
the roses scattered through the room. She wore three in her hair,
trailing behind one ear in an exotic, charming fashion.

"It's only you who could think of wearing them like that."

"Do they make me look very barbaric?" She was flattered by the
admiration in his eyes. "You certainly have improved since I saw you
last."

"Now, shall we stay here or go somewhere?" she asked after dinner, when
they were smoking cigarettes.

"Let us stay here."

Mrs. Wallace began talking the old nonsense which, in days past, had
delighted James; it enchanted him to hear her say, in the tone of voice
he knew so well, just those things which he had a thousand times
repeated to himself. He looked at her with a happy smile, his eyes fixed
upon her, taking in every movement.

"I don't believe you're listening to a word I'm saying!" she cried at
last. "Why don't you answer?"

"Go on. I like to see you talk. It's long since I've had the chance."

"You spoke yesterday as though you hadn't missed me much."

"I didn't mean it. You knew I didn't mean it."

She smiled mockingly.

"I thought it doubtful. If it had been true, you could hardly have said
anything so impolite."

"I've thought of you always. That's why I feel I know you so much better
now. I don't change. What I felt once, I feel always."

"I wonder what you mean by that?"

"I mean that I love you as passionately as when last I saw you. Oh, I
love you ten times more!"

"And the girl with the bun and the strenuous look? You were engaged when
I knew you last."

James was silent for a moment.

"I'm going to be married to her on the 10th of October," he said
finally, in an expres