as such a nice boy; but he had
no reasons. Oh, dear, how wretched he made me!"

"Well," said Howard, "I must ask you this--what did really happen on
that awful afternoon at the Folly?"

Maud covered her face with her hands. "It was too dreadful!" she said.
"First of all, you were looking like Hamlet--you don't know how
romantic you looked! I did really believe that you cared for me then--I
couldn't help it--but there was some veil between us; and the number of
times I telegraphed from my brain to you that day, 'Can't you
understand?' was beyond counting. I suppose it was very unmaidenly, but
I was past that. Then there was that horrible imitation; such a
disgusting parody! and then I was prouder of you than ever, because you
really took it so well. I was too angry after that for anything, and
when you went off with father, and Monica sketched and Jack lay down
and smoked, Freddy Guthrie walked off with me, and I said to him, 'I
really cannot think how you dared to do that--I think it was simply
shameful!' Well, he got quite white, and he did not attempt to excuse
himself; and I believe I said that if he did not put it straight with
you, I would never speak to him again: and then I rather repented; and
then he began making love to me, and said the sort of things people say
in books. Howard, I believe that people really do talk like books when
they get excited--at all events it was like a bad novel! But I was very
stern--I can be very stern when I am angry--and said I would not hear
another word, and would go straight back if he said any more; and then
he said something about wanting to be friends, and wanting to have some
hope; and then I got suddenly sorry about it all--it seemed such a
waste of time--and shook hands with him, feeling as if I was acting in
an absurd play, and said that of course we were friends; and I think I
insisted again on his apologising to you, and he said that I seemed to
care more for your peace of mind than his; and I simply walked away and
he followed, and I shouldn't be surprised if he was crying; it was all
like a nightmare; but I did somehow contrive to make it up with him
later, and told him that I thought him a very nice boy indeed."

"I daresay that was a great comfort to him," said Howard.

"I meant it to be," said Maud, "but I did not feel I could go on acting
in a sort of melodrama."

"Now, I am very inquisitive," said Howard, "and you needn't answer me
if you don't like--but tha