, as
for instance, in that baccarat business."

"Don't rake up old things," said Teresa suddenly.

"And the Williamson affair," got in Venetia. "Oh, I am the very last to
rake up things, as you call it. I, for one, will say no more of things
that have happened, but I _must_ speak of things that affect myself."

"What is affecting you?"

"Just this. You know quite well the financial position. You know what
the upkeep of this house means. You can't do it. You plainly can't do
it. Your income is not sufficient."

"But how does that affect you?"

"When tradespeople talk it affects me; it affects us all. Why not let
this house and live quietly, somewhere in the country, 'til things blow
over?"

"What do you mean by things blowing over?" asked Teresa. "One would
think that you were talking of some disgrace that had happened."

Venetia pulled up her long left hand glove and moved as though about to
depart. She said nothing but looked at her glove.

During the whole of this time she had neither looked at nor spoken to
Jones, nor included him by word in the conversation. Her influence had
been working upon him ever since she entered the room. He began now
more fully to understand the part she had played in the life of
Rochester. He felt that he wanted to talk to Venetia as Rochester had,
probably, never talked.

"A man once said to me that the greatest mistake a fellow can make is to
have a sister to live with him after his marriage," said Jones.

Venetia pulled up her right hand glove.

"A sister that has had to face mad intoxication and _worse_, can endorse
that opinion," said she.

"What do you mean by worse?" fired Teresa.

"I mean exactly what I say," replied Venetia.

"That is no answer. Do you mean that Arthur has been unfaithful to me?"

"I did not say that."

"Well, what can be worse than intoxication--that is the only thing worse
that I know of--unless murder. Do you mean that he has murdered
someone?"

"I will not let you drag me into a quarrel," said Venetia; "you are
putting things into my mouth. I think mad extravagance is worse than
intoxication, inasmuch as it is committed by reasonable people
uninfluenced by drugs or alcohol. I think insults levelled at
inoffensive people are worse than the wildest deeds committed under the
influence of that demon alcohol."

"Who are the inoffensive people who have been insulted?"

"Good gracious--well, of course you don't know--you have not had to
int