replied, 'of our relations chiefly. What am I supposed to be?
What do you want of me? You see,' I went on, slowly, 'I have thought a
great deal about you ever since you called me to London. A great deal, I
assure you. But I am not a very courageous person, my dear, and I am
afraid of my thoughts running away from me. I should not like you to
think me a fool, you know.'

"'I should never do that,' she remarked in a low murmur. 'You are my
true friend, I know.'

"'And what is a true friend to do for a girl in your position?' I asked,
bluntly, looking round the tiny chamber with its red and white tiled
floor and octagonal tables. She looked at me for a moment and then out
of the window, and sighed.

"'Aren't you happy here?' I asked. She continued to look out of the
window while she answered me.

"'Do you want me to be quite plain?' she enquired. 'Well, then, I will
tell you that except this,' and she made a gesture indicating her
surroundings, 'there is nothing for me to do. If I leave here where
shall I go? This is a funny place, I can tell you. And this won't last
forever, either, even if I wanted it to.'

"'But why can't you go and look after your father?' I asked, helplessly.

"'Because I told him a lot of lies about being married,' she said,
sharply, 'and I would rather die than tell him I'm somebody's keep.'

"'You needn't have said that,' I said, unsteadily, 'and you needn't tell
him anything of the sort. Tell him just whatever you please and I will
back you up and make it the truth.'

"'What makes you say I needn't have said it?' she asked, looking full at
me. 'You asked, didn't you?'

"'Well, it hurt me for one thing,' I told her, 'and for another, being
bitter won't help matters. Do you suppose I haven't a pretty good idea
of your situation here? And if I hadn't had any intention of helping
you, why should I have come? I promised you I would always be your
friend, because I had never met any one so forlorn. And I will keep that
promise to the limit. And now,' I added, 'suppose I told you what
happened last night.'

"She sat perfectly still, watching me while I recounted my singular
adventure with M. Kinaitsky. It was only when I mentioned what he had
said of her being quite free to dispose of herself that she gave a
quick, sarcastic shrug.

"'I know,' she said. 'So he told me when he got married. But this is a
funny place, I can tell you. You think I can walk out of this house and
do what I like, g