uld gladly forget. Why not make it a business of life
to do so?"

"'Forgetting those things which are behind,'" Cynthia murmured.

She was sitting on a very low chair, her hands loosely clasped before
her, her eyes searching the embers of the fire. Hubert looked at her
curiously.

"I never heard you quote Scripture before," he said, half laughing.

"Why not? There are plenty of things in the Bible worth thinking about
and quoting too," said Cynthia briskly, but with a sudden change of
attitude. "It would be better for us both, I have no doubt, if we knew
it a little better, Mr. Lepel. Aren't you going to smoke? It does not
seem at all natural to see you without a cigar in your mouth."

"What a character to give me! Smoke in this rose-tinted room?"

"Madame's friends all smoke here. You need not be an exception. She
herself condescends at times to the luxury of a cigarette."

"You call it a luxury?"

"Certainly. Madame has initiated me. But you will understand that I
don't display my accomplishment to every one."

"No--don't," said Hubert, a trifle gravely.

She looked round at him with a pretty defiance in her eyes and a laugh
upon her face.

"Don't you approve?" she said mockingly. "Ah, you have yet something to
learn! It is quite evident that you have been spending Easter in the
country, and its gentle dulness hangs about you still."

"Gentle dulness!" Hubert thought involuntarily of Enid. Yes, the term
fitted her very well. Timid, gentle, dull--thus unjustly he thought of
her; while, as to Cynthia--whatever Cynthia's faults might be, she was
not dull--a great virtue in Hubert's eyes.

"I think you could make me approve of anything you do," he said, as he
rose in obedience to her invitation to light his cigar. "Some people
have the grace of becomingness; they adorn all they touch."

"What a magnificent compliment! I will immediately put it to the test,"
said Cynthia lightly. She had also risen, and was examining a little
silver box on the mantelpiece. "Here Madame keeps her Russian
cigarettes," she said. "I have not set up a stock of my own, you see.
Now give me a light. There--I can do it quite skilfully!" she said, as
she placed one of the tiny _papelitos_ between her lips and gave one or
two dainty puffs. "Now does it become me?"

"Excellent well!" said Hubert, who was leaning back in an enormous
chair, so long and deep that one lay rather than sat in it, and
regarding her with amusement. "'All wh