he married. Possible
only, yes, just possible, if his marriage were postponed until such
time as he could have collected the money. Some brilliant stroke of
luck might unexpectedly reduce the term; but three years must be
allowed. _Metropolis_ and _The Planet_ were surely good for another
three years. The other alternative, that of repudiating the
obligation, never entered his head for an instant. He could not have
touched a shilling of his father's money till this debt was cleared.

There could be no doubt as to what honour demanded of him. But how
would Flossie take it? The worst of it was that he was bound (in
honour again) to give her the option of breaking off their engagement,
if she didn't care to wait. And after all that had passed between
them it might not be so easy to persuade her that he was not glad of
the excuse; for he himself was so lacking in conviction. Still she was
very intelligent; and she would see that it wasn't his fault if their
marriage had to be put off. The situation was inevitable and
impersonal, and as such it was bound to be hard on somebody. He
admitted that it was particularly hard on Flossie. It would have been
harder still if Flossie had been out of work; but Flossie, with
characteristic prudence, had held on to her post till the very eve of
her wedding-day, and had contrived to return to it when she foresaw
the necessity for delay. Otherwise he would have had to insist on
providing for her until she was independent again; which would have
complicated matters really most horribly. It was quite horrible enough
to have to explain all this to Flossie. The last time he had explained
things (for he had explained them) to Flossie the result had not been
exactly happy. But then the things themselves had been very different,
and he had had to admit with the utmost contrition that a woman could
hardly have had more reasonable grounds for resentment. That was all
over and done with now. In that explanation they had explained
everything away. They had left no single thread of illusion hanging
round the life they were to live together. They accepted themselves
and each other as they were. And in the absence of any brighter
prospect for either of them there was high wisdom in that acceptance.

If then there was a lack of rapture in his relations with Flossie,
there would henceforth at any rate be calm. Her temperament was, he
judged, essentially placid, not to say apathetic. There was a soft
smo