. An atmosphere had enfolded him, had become as it
were part of him, drowning his life in its peculiar influence. He must
emerge from it. But he would never be able to emerge from it in the
little old house which he loved. So he got rid of his lease, with
Charmian's acquiescence.

She did not really want to live on the north side of the Park. And the
neighborhood was "Bayswatery." But she guessed that Claude was not quite
happy in deserting his characteristic roof-tree, and she eagerly sought
for another. It was found in Kensington Square. Several interesting and
even famous persons lived there. The houses were old, not large,
compact. They had a "flavor" of culture, which set them apart from the
new and mushroom dwellings of London, and from all flats whatsoever.
They were suitable to "artistic" people. A great actress, much sought
after in the social world, had lived for years in this square. A famous
musician was opposite to her. A baronet, who knew how to furnish, and
whose wife gave delightful small parties, was next door but three. A
noted novelist had just moved there from a flat in Queen Anne's
Mansions. In fact, there was a cachet on Kensington Square.

And though it was rather far out, you can go almost anywhere in ten
minutes if you can afford to take a taxi-cab. Charmian and Claude had
fifteen hundred a year between them. She had no doubt of their being
able to take taxi-cabs on such an income. And, later on, of course
Claude would make a lot of money. Jacques Sennier's opera was bringing
him in thousands of pounds, and he had received great offers for future
works from America, where _Le Paradis Terrestre_ had just made a furore
at the Metropolitan Opera House. He and Madame Sennier were in New York
now, having a more than lovely time. The generous American nation had
taken them both to its heart. Charmian had read several accounts of
their triumphs, artistic and social, in English newspapers. She had said
to herself "Ours presently!" And with renewed and vital energy, she had
devoted herself afresh to the task of "getting into" the new house.

Mrs. Mansfield had helped her, with sober love and devotion.

Now at last the house was ready, four servants were engaged, and the
ceremony of hanging the _cremaillere_ was being duly accomplished.

The Heaths' house-warming had brought together Charmian's friends.
Heath, true to his secret determination to break away from his old life,
had wished that it should