rawn up by another.

Should she, instead of descending, of following the demure steps of the
American to the lower places, strive to ascend?

Could she ascend? Was Robin Pierce right? She thought for a long time
about his conception of her. The singing woman; would she be the most
powerful enemy that could confront Miss Schley? And, if she would be,
could the singing woman be made continuous in the speech and the actions
of the life without music? She remembered a man she had known who
stammered when he spoke, but never stammered when he sang. And she
thought she resembled this man. Robin Pierce had always believed that
she could speak without the stammer even as she sang without it. She had
never cared to. She had trusted absolutely in her beauty. Now her trust
was shaken. She thought of the crutch.

Realising herself she had said within herself, "Poor Robin!" seeing
perhaps the tigress where he saw the angel. Now she asked herself
whether the angel could conquer where the tigress might fail. People had
come round her like beggars who have heard the chink of gold and she had
showed them an empty purse. Could she show them something else? And if
she could, would her husband join the beggars? Would he care to have
even one piece of gold?

Whether Lord Holme's obvious infatuation had carried him very far she
did not know. She did not stop to ask. A woman capable, as she was, of
retrospective jealousy, an egoist accustomed to rule, buffeted in
heart and pride, is swift not sluggish. And then how can one know these
things? Jealousy rushes because it is ignorant.

Lord Holme and she were apparently on good terms. She was subtle, he was
careless. As she did not interfere with him his humour was excellent.
She had carried self-control so far as never to allude to the fact
that she knew about the supper-party. Yet it had actually got into the
papers. Paragraphs had been written about a wonderful ornament of ice,
representing the American eagle perched on the wrist of a glittering
maiden, which had stood in the middle of the table. Of course she had
seen them, and of course Lord Holme thought she had not seen them as she
had never spoken of them. He went his way rejoicing, and there seemed
to be sunshine in the Cadogan Square house. And meanwhile the world was
smiling at the apparent triumph of impertinence, and wondering how long
it would last, how far it would go. The few who were angry--Sir Donald
was one of them--were i