and that she had practically no more money, and that
Stephen's rule against credit was the strictest of all his rules, when
she caught sight of Mr Charles Woodruff buying toys, doubtless for his
nephews and nieces.

Mr Woodruff was the bachelor friend of the family. He had loved Vera
before Stephen loved her, and he was still attached to her. Stephen and
he were chums of the most advanced kind. Why! Stephen and Vera thought
nothing of bickering in front of Mr Woodruff, who rated them both and
sided with neither.

'Hello!' said Woodruff, flushing, and moving his long, clumsy limbs
when she touched him on the shoulder. 'I'm just buying a few toys.'

She helped him to buy toys, and then he asked her to go and have tea
with him at the newly-opened Sub Rosa Tea Rooms, in Machin Street. She
agreed, and, in passing the music-stool, gave a small parcel which she
was carrying to Penkethman, and told him he might as well put it in the
music-stool. She was glad to have tea with Charlie Woodruff. It would
distract her, prevent her from thinking. The ecstasy had almost died
out, and she had a violent desire not to think.

III

A terrible blow fell upon her the next morning. Stephen had one of his
bad colds, one of his worst. The mere cold she could have supported
with fortitude, but he was forced to remain indoors, and his presence
in the house she could not support with fortitude. The music-stool
would be sure to arrive before lunch, and he would be there to see it
arrive. The ecstasy had fully expired now, and she had more leisure to
think than she wanted. She could not imagine what mad instinct had
compelled her to buy the music-stool. (Once out of the shop these
instincts always are difficult to imagine.) She knew that Stephen would
be angry. He might perhaps go to the length of returning the
music-stool whence it came. For, though she was a pretty and pampered
woman, Stephen had a way, in the last resort, of being master of his
own house. And she could not even placate him with the gift of a
cigar-cabinet. She could not buy a five-guinea cigar-cabinet with ten
and six. She had no other money in the world. She never had money, yet
money was always running through her fingers. Stephen treated her
generously, gave her an ample allowance, but he would under no
circumstances permit credit, nor would he pay her allowance in advance.
She had nothing to expect till the New Year.

She attended to his cold, and telephoned