to my husband for ten thousand
pounds on the evening of our engagement party. What am I to do? I
haven't a friend in this hateful country."

I longed to tell her she had at least one friend, but as I could neither
help nor advise her I said nothing.

"No wonder he has a banking account," she said with a bitter laugh. I
noticed then that a strained woman's humour is unpleasant. She sat down.
The corners of her kind lips quivered.

"The world is turned upside down," she said piteously. "There is no
love, honour or loyalty in it. I felt this evening as if I could forgive
him; but now--" She rose and wrung her hands and exclaimed sharply, "Oh,
it's hateful, it's hateful for men to be so base!"

That it was a base action to sell Joanna for any sum of money, however
bewildering in largeness, I could not deny. But that Paragot should have
been guilty of it I would not have believed had the accusation come from
Joanna's own lips. The confounded scrap of paper, however, was proof.
Therein he had pledged himself to give up Joanna for ten thousand
pounds, and the scaly-headed vulture had paid the money. I turned away
sadly and went to help the nurse minister to my master.

He opened his eyes and whispered that I must fetch a cab.

"Or a dung-cart," he added, characteristically.

Glad of action I went out into the long quiet avenue and after five
minutes' walk hailed a passing fiacre. The nurse admitted me when I rang
the bell. I found Paragot sitting on the sofa by the wall, and Joanna
where I had left her, by the Della Robbia chimney-piece. Apparently they
had not had a very companionable five minutes. He rose as I entered.

"I thought you were never coming," said he. "Let us go."

"I must say good-bye to Madame."

"Be quick about it," he whispered.

I crossed the room to Joanna's chair and made a French bow according to
my instruction in manners.

"Good night, Madame."

She held out her hand to me--such a delicate soft little hand, but quite
cold and nerveless.

"Good night, Mr. Asticot. I am sorry our friendship has been so short."

I joined Paragot. He said from where he stood by the door:--

"Good night, Madame la Comtesse."

She made no reply. Instinctively both of us lingered a second on the
threshold, filling our eyes with the beauty and luxury that were all
part and parcel of Joanna, and as the door closed behind us we felt like
two bad angels turned out of Paradise.

CHAPTER XIV

I CAME ac