s content to await the
information he knew would come in the end. Tacit reciprocities of
misunderstanding ensuing, he felt it safest to say:--"Nothing wrong, I
hope?" This is what followed:

"I think you might show more interest. I have been very much startled
and annoyed.... But I must tell you later. There's no time now."

"I think," says his lordship deferentially, "that, having mentioned it,
it might be better to ..."

"I suppose you mean I oughtn't to have mentioned it.... Starfield, I
cannot possible wear that thick dress to-night. It's suffocating. Get
something thinner.... Oh, well--if I must tell you I must tell you! Go
back in your room a minute while Starfield finds that dress.... Oh
no--_she's_ not listening ... never mind _her_! There, the door's shut!"

"Well--what _is_ it?"

"It's Gwen. However, I dare say it's only a flash in the pan, and she'll
be off after somebody else. If only my advice had been taken he never
would have come into the house...."

"But who _is_ he, and what is _it_?"

"My dear, I'll tell you if you'll not be so impatient. It's this young
Torrens.... Yes--now you're shocked. So was I." For no further
explanations are necessary. When one hears that "it" is John and Jane,
one knows.

"But, Philippa, are you sure? It seems to me perfectly incredible."

"Speak to her yourself."

"She's barely seen him; and as for him, poor fellow, he has never seen
_her_ at all." The rapidity of events seems out of all reason to a
constitutionally cautious Earl.

"My dear, how unreasonable you are! If he could _see_ her, of course,
she wouldn't think of him for one moment. At least, I suppose not."

"I _cannot_ understand," says the bewildered Earl. And then he begins
repeating her ladyship's words "If--he--could ..." as though inviting a
more intelligible repetition. This is exasperating--a clear insinuation
of unintelligibility.

"Oh dear, how slow men are!" The lady passes through a short phase of
collapse from despair over man's faculties, then returns to a difficult
task crisply and incisively. "Well, at any rate, you can see _this_? The
girl's got it into her head that the accident was _our_ fault, and that
it's _her_ duty to make it up to him."

"But, then, she's not really in love with him, if it's a self-denying
ordinance."

The Countess is getting used to despair, so she only shrugs a submissive
shoulder and remarks with forbearance:--"It is _no_ use trying to make
you underst