has been
delayed so long is Graillot's insistence upon calling a spade a spade.
Even with all Louise and Miles Faraday have managed to get him to leave
out, there is one scene which is certainly a little startling for
English playgoers."

"And Louise is in it?" he asked.

"Louise is the principal figure in it."

John's face darkened a little.

"I have noticed lately," he remarked gloomily, "that she rather avoids
talking about the play. I wish she'd chuck it altogether!"

Sophy shook her head.

"Louise won't do that," she said. "I sometimes think that her work is
more to her than anything else in life. I suppose you two will find a
way out of it, somehow."

"There is only one way, and Louise will have to make up her mind to
it," John declared steadfastly. "However, my time hasn't come just yet.
Until it comes, I must make the best of things. Tell me more about your
own love-affairs, Sophy."

"It isn't a love-affair at all!" she exclaimed, almost indignantly.

"Why, I am sorry. Your prospective alliance, then, shall I call it?"

"Oh, it isn't interesting," she said. "It's just a young man in Bath. He
is a lawyer and moderately well off. He has wanted me to marry him for
years. He was a friend of my brother's. Lately he has been bothering a
little more than usual--in fact, I suppose I have received what might be
called an ultimatum. He came up yesterday, and I went out with him last
night. He has gone back to Bath this morning, and I have promised to let
him know in a month. I think that is why I went out to Waterloo Bridge
in a mackintosh and got wet."

"Do you like him?" John asked practically.

"I like him, I suppose," Sophy sighed. "That's the worst of it. If I
didn't like him, there might be some chance. I can't realize myself ever
doing more than liking him in a mild sort of way; and if he expected
more, as of course he would, then I should probably hate him. He tried
to kiss me on the way to the station and I nearly scratched him. That
isn't like me, you know. I rather like being kissed sometimes."

John buried himself in the wine-list.

"Well," he admitted, "it doesn't sound very hopeful. I'm no sort of
judge in these matters, but I have heard lots of people say that one
gets on all right after marriage without caring very much before. You
don't seem to have a very comfortable life now, do you?"

"Comfortable? No, but I am free," Sophy replied quickly. "I can come in
and go out when I please, ch