Hegropedbacktohischair，hischestlabouringashesatdown。
Maisiewatchedhim，andthefearwentoutofherheart，tobefollowedbyaverybittershameHehadspokenatruththathadbeenhiddenfromthegirlthrougheverystepoftheimpetuousflighttoLondon；forhewas，indeed，downanddonefor——masterfulnolongerbutratheralittleabject；
neitheranartiststrongerthanshe，noramantobelookedupto——onlysomeblindonethatsatinachairandseemedonthepointofcryingShewasimmenselyandunfeignedlysorryforhim——moresorrythanshehadeverbeenforanyoneinherlife，butnotsorryenoughtodenyhiswords。
Soshestoodstillandfeltashamedandalittlehurt，becauseshehadhonestlyintendedthatherjourneyshouldendtriumphantly；andnowshewasonlyfilledwithpitymoststartlinglydistinctfromlove。
’Well？’saidDick，hisfacesteadilyturnedaway’InevermeanttoworryyouanymoreWhat’sthematter？’
HewasconsciousthatMaisiewascatchingherbreath，butwasasunpreparedasherselfforthetorrentofemotionthatfollowedShehaddroppedintoachairandwassobbingwithherfacehiddeninherhands。
’Ican’t——Ican’t！’shecrieddesperately’Indeed，Ican’tItisn’tmyfault。
I’msosorryOh，Dickie，I’msosorry。’
Dick’sshouldersstraightenedagain，forthewordslashedlikeawhip。
StillthesobbingcontinuedItisnotgoodtorealisethatyouhavefailedinthehouroftrialorflinchedbeforethemerepossibilityofmakingsacrifices。
’Idodespisemyself——indeedIdoButIcan’tOh，Dickie，youwouldn’taskme——wouldyou？’wailedMaisie。
Shelookedupforaminute，andbychanceithappenedthatDick’seyesfellonhersTheunshavenfacewasverywhiteandset，andthelipsweretryingtoforcethemselvesintoasmileButitwastheworn-outeyesthatMaisiefearedHerDickhadgoneblindandleftinhisplacesomeonethatshecouldhardlyrecognisetillhespoke。
’Whoisaskingyoutodoanything，Maisie？Itoldyouhowitwouldbe。
What’stheuseofworrying？Forpity’ssakedon’tcrylikethat；itisn’tworthit。’
’Youdon’tknowhowIhatemyselfOh，Dick，helpme——helpme！’
ThepassionoftearshadgrownbeyondhercontrolandwasbeginningtoalarmthemanHestumbledforwardandputhisarmroundher，andherheadfellonhisshoulder。
’Hush，dear，hush！Don’tcryYou’requiteright，andyou’venothingtoreproachyourselfwith——youneverhadYou’reonlyalittleupsetbythejourney，andIdon’tsupposeyou’vehadanybreakfastWhatabruteTorpwastobringyouover。’
’IwantedtocomeIdidindeed，’sheprotested。
’VerywellAndnowyou’vecomeandseen，andI’m——immenselygrateful。
Whenyou’rebetteryoushallgoawayandgetsomethingtoeat。
Whatsortofapassagedidyouhavecomingover？’
Maisiewascryingmoresubduedly，forthefirsttimeinherlifegladthatshehadsomethingtoleanagainstDickpattedherontheshouldertenderlybutclumsily，forhewasnotquitesurewherehershouldermightbe。
Shedrewherselfoutofhisarmsatlastandwaited，tremblingandmostunhappyHehadfelthiswaytothewindowtoputthewidthoftheroombetweenthem，andtoquietalittlethetumultinhisheart。
’Areyoubetternow？’hesaid。
’Yes，but——don’tyouhateme？’
’Ihateyou？MyGod！I？’
’Isn’t——isn’tthereanythingIcoulddoforyou，then？I’llstayhereinEnglandtodoit，ifyoulikePerhapsIcouldcomeandseeyousometimes。’
’Ithinknot，dearItwouldbekindestnottoseemeanymore，pleaseI
don’twanttoseemrude，but——don’tyouthink——perhapsyouhadalmostbettergonow。’
Hewasconsciousthathecouldnotbearhimselfasamanifthestraincontinuedmuchlonger。
’Idon’tdeserveanythingelseI’llgo，DickOh，I’msomiserable。’
’NonsenseYou’venothingtoworryabout；I’dtellyouifyouhad。
Waitamoment，dearI’vegotsomethingtogiveyoufirstImeantitforyoueversincethislittletroublebeganIt’smyMelancolia；shewasabeautywhenIlastsawherYoucankeepherforme，andifeveryou’repooryoucansellherShe’sworthafewhundredsatanystateofthemarket。’Hegropedamonghiscanvases’She’sframedinblackIsthisablackframethatIhavemyhandon？TheresheisWhatdoyouthinkofher？’
HeturnedascarredformlessmuddleofpainttowardsMaisie，andtheeyesstrainedasthoughtheywouldcatchherwonderandsurprise。
Onethingandonethingonlycouldshedoforhim。
’Well？’
Thevoicewasfullerandmorerounded，becausethemanknewhewasspeakingofhisbestworkMaisielookedattheblur，andalunaticdesiretolaughcaughtherbythethroatButforDick’ssake——whateverthismadblanknessmightmean——shemustmakenosignHervoicechokedwithhard-heldtearsassheanswered，stillgazingatthewreck——
’Oh，Dick，itisgood！’
Heheardthelittlehystericalgulpandtookitfortribute’Won’tyouhaveit，then？I’llsenditovertoyourhouseifyouwill。’
’I？Ohyes——thankyouHa！ha！’IfshedidnotflyatoncethelaughterthatwasworsethantearswouldkillherSheturnedandran，chokingandblinded，downthestaircasesthatwereemptyoflifetotakerefugeinacabandgotoherhouseacrosstheParksThereshesatdowninthedismantleddrawing-roomandthoughtofDickinhisblindness，uselesstilltheendoflife，andofherselfinherowneyesBehindthesorrow，theshame，andthehumiliation，layfearofthecoldwrathofthered-hairedgirlwhenMaisieshouldreturnMaisiehadneverfearedhercompanionbeforeNotuntilshefoundherselfsaying，’Well，heneveraskedme，’didsherealiseherscornofherself。
AndthatistheendofMaisie。
*
ForDickwasreservedmoresearchingtormentHecouldnotrealiseatfirstthatMaisie，whomhehadorderedtogohadlefthimwithoutawordoffarewellHewassavagelyangryagainstTorpenhow，whohadbroughtuponhimthishumiliationandtroubledhismiserablepeaceThenhisdarkhourcameandhewasalonewithhimselfandhisdesirestogetwhathelphecouldfromthedarknessThequeencoulddonowrong，butinfollowingtheright，sofarasitservedherwork，shehadwoundedheronesubjectmorethanhisownbrainwouldlethimknow。
’It’sallIhadandI’velostit，’hesaid，assoonasthemiserypermittedclearthinking’AndTorpwillthinkthathehasbeensoinfernallycleverthatIshan’thavethehearttotellhimImustthinkthisoutquietly。’
’Hullo！’saidTorpenhow，enteringthestudioafterDickhadenjoyedtwohoursofthought’I’mbackAreyoufeelinganybetter？’
’Torp，Idon’tknowwhattosayComehere。’Dickcoughedhuskily，wondering，indeed，whatheshouldsay，andhowtosayittemperately。
’What’stheneedforsayinganything？Getupandtramp。’
Torpenhowwasperfectlysatisfied。
Theywalkedupanddownasofcustom，Torpenhow’shandonDick’sshoulder，andDickburiedinhisownthoughts。
’Howintheworlddidyoufinditallout？’saidDick，atlast。
’Youshouldn’tgooffyourheadifyouwanttokeepsecrets，Dickie。
Itwasabsolutelyimpertinentonmypart；butifyou’dseenmerocketingaboutonahalf-trainedFrenchtroop-horseunderablazingsunyou’dhavelaughedTherewillbeacharivariinmyroomsto-night。
Sevenotherdevils——’
’Iknow——therowintheSouthernSoudanIsurprisedtheircouncilstheotherday，anditmademeunhappyHaveyoufixedyourflinttogo？
Whod’youworkfor？’
’Haven’tsignedanycontractsyetIwantedtoseehowyourbusinesswouldturnout。’
’Wouldyouhavestayedwithme，then，if——thingshadgonewrong？’
Heputhisquestioncautiously。
’Don’taskmetoomuchI’monlyaman。’
’You’vetriedtobeanangelverysuccessfully。’
’Ohye——es！Well，doyouattendthefunctionto-night？WeshallbehalfscrewedbeforethemorningAllthemenbelievethewar’sacertainty。’
’Idon’tthinkIwill，oldman，ifit’sallthesametoyouI’llstayquiethere。’
’Andmeditate？Idon’tblameyouYouobserveagoodtimeifeveramandid。’
ThatnighttherewasatumultonthestairsThecorrespondentspouredinfromtheatre，dinner，andmusic-halltoTorpenhow’sroomthattheymightdiscusstheirplanofcampaignintheeventofmilitaryoperationsbecomingacertaintyTorpenhow，theKeneu，，andtheNilghaihadbiddenallthementheyhadworkedwithtotheorgy；andMr。
Beeton，thehousekeeper，declaredthatneverbeforeinhischeckeredexperiencehadheseenquitesuchafancylotofgentlemenTheywakedthechamberswithshoutingsandsong；andtheeldermenwerequiteasbadastheyoungerForthechancesofwarwereinfrontofthem，andallknewwhatthosemeant。
Sittinginhisownroomalittleperplexedbythenoiseacrossthelanding，Dicksuddenlybegantolaughtohimself。
’Whenonecomestothinkofitthesituationisintenselycomic。
Maisie’squiteright——poorlittlethingIdidn’tknowshecouldcrylikethatbefore；
butnowIknowwhatTorpthinks，I’msurehe’dbequitefoolenoughtostayathomeandtrytoconsoleme——ifheknewBesides，itisn’tnicetoownthatyou’vebeenthrownoverlikeabrokenchairImustcarrythisbusinessthroughalone——asusualIfthereisn’tawar，andTorpfindsout，Ishalllookfoolish，that’sallIfthereisawayImustn’tinterferewithanotherman’schancesBusinessisbusiness，andIwanttobealone——I
wanttobealoneWhatarowthey’remaking！’
Somebodyhammeredatthestudiodoor。
’Comeoutandfrolic，Dickie，’saidtheNilghai。
’Ishouldliketo，butIcan’tI’mnotfeelingfrolicsome。’
’Then，I’lltelltheboysandthey’lldragyoulikeabadger。’
’Pleasenot，oldmanOnmyword，I’dsoonerbeleftalonejustnow。’
’VerygoodCanwesendanythingintoyou？Fizz，forinstance。
CassavettiisbeginningtosingsongsoftheSunnySouthalready。’
ForoneminuteDickconsideredthepropositionseriously。
’No，thanks，I’veaheadachealready。’
’VirtuouschildThat’stheeffectofemotionontheyoungAllmycongratulations，DickIalsowasconcernedintheconspiracyforyourwelfare。’
’Gotothedevil——oh，sendBinkieinhere。’
Thelittledogenteredonelasticfeet，riotousfromhavingbeenmademuchofalltheeveningHehadhelpedtosingthechoruses；butscarcelyinsidethestudioherealisedthatthiswasnoplacefortail-wagging，andsettledhimselfonDick’slaptillitwasbedtimeThenhewenttobedwithDick，whocountedeveryhourasitstruck，androseinthemorningwithapainfullyclearheadtoreceiveTorpenhow’smoreformalcongratulationsandaparticularaccountofthelastnight’srevels。
’Youaren’tlookingveryhappyforanewlyacceptedman，’saidTorpenhow。
’Nevermindthat——it’smyownaffair，andI’mallrightDoyoureallygo？’
’YesWiththeoldCentralSouthernasusualTheywired，andI
acceptedonbettertermsthanbefore。’
’Whendoyoustart？’
’Thedayafterto-morrow——forBrindisi。’
’ThankGod。’Dickspokefromthebottomofhisheart。
’Well，that’snotaprettywayofsayingyou’regladtogetridofme。
Butmeninyourconditionareallowedtobeselfish。’
’Ididn’tmeanthatWillyougetahundredpoundscashedformebeforeyouleave？’
’That’saslenderamountforhousekeeping，isn’tit？’
’Oh，it’sonlyfor——marriageexpenses。’
Torpenhowbroughthimthemoney，counteditoutinfivesandtens，andcarefullyputitawayinthewritingtable。
’NowIsupposeIshallhavetolistentohisravingsabouthisgirluntilI
goHeavensenduspatiencewithamaninlove！’hesaidtohimself。
ButneveraworddidDicksayofMaisieormarriageHehunginthedoorwayofTorpenhow’sroomwhenthelatterwaspackingandaskedinnumerablequestionsaboutthecomingcampaign，tillTorpenhowbegantofeelannoyed。
’You’reasecretiveanimal，Dickie，andyouconsumeyourownsmoke，don’tyou？’hesaidonthelastevening。