; mercifully, they would in all probability not
understand it; but if they did, was there anything that inartistic
London would not swallow in its terror of being accused of philistinism?

The company was dispersing. Herr Lippheim stood holding Karen's hands
saying, as she shook them, that he would bring _das Muetterchen_ and _die
Schwesterchen_ to-morrow. Belot came for a last cup of tea and drank it
in sonorous draughts, exchanging a few words with Gregory. He had
nothing against Belot. Mr. Drew leaned on Madame von Marwitz's sofa and
spoke to her in a low voice while she looked at him inscrutably, her
eyes half closed.

"Lucky man," said Lady Rose to Gregory, on her way out, "to have her
under your roof. I hope you are a scrupulous Boswell and taking notes."
In the hall Barker was assorting the sombrero, the _Latin Quartier_ and
the cream-coloured felt; the last belonged to Herr Lippheim, who was
putting it on when Gregory escorted Lady Rose to the door.

Gregory gave the young man a listless hand. He couldn't forgive Herr
Lippheim. That he should ever, under whatever encouragements from
Karen's guardian, have dared to aspire to her, was a monstrous fact.

He watched the thick rims of Herr Lippheim's ears, under the
cream-coloured felt, descending in the lift and wondered if the sight
was to be often inflicted upon him.

When he went back to the drawing-room, Karen was alone. Madame von
Marwitz had taken Miss Scrotton to her own room. Karen was standing by
the tea-table, looking down at it, her hands on the back of the chair
from which she had risen to say good-bye to her guardian's guests. She
raised her eyes as her husband came in and they rested on him with a
strange expression.

CHAPTER XXV

"Will you shut the door, Gregory?" Karen said. "I want to speak to you."
The feeling with which he looked at her was that with which he had faced
her sleeping, as he thought, after their former dispute. The sense of
failure and disillusion was upon him. As before, it was only of her
guardian that she was thinking. He knew that he had given Madame von
Marwitz a handle against him.

He obeyed her and when he came and stood before her she went on. "Before
we all meet at dinner again, I must ask you something. Do not make your
contempt of Tante's guests--and of mine--more plain to her than you have
already done this afternoon."

"Did I make it plain?" Gregory asked, after a moment.

"I think that if I felt it