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uation in which he now found himself。 But never before had the circumstances been so difficult。 Josephine in no way resembled any woman with whom he had been involved； she was the first he had taken seriously。 Nor did the other woman resemble the central figure in any of his affairs。 He did not know what she was like； how to classify her； but he did know that she was unlike any woman he had ever known and that his feeling for her was different appallingly differentfrom any emotion any other woman had inspired in him。 Soa walk alone with Josephine a first talk with her after his secret treachery was no light matter。 〃Deeper and deeper；〃 he said to himself。 〃Where is this going to end？〃
She began by sympathizing with him for having so much to do〃and father says you can get through more work than any man he ever knew； not excluding himself。〃 She was full of tenderness and compliment； of a kind of love that made him feel as the dirt beneath his feet。 She respected him so highly； she believed in him so entirely。 The thought of her discovering the truth； or any part of it； gave him a sensation of nausea。 He was watching her out of the corner of his eye。 Never had he seen her more statelily beautiful。 If he should lose her！〃 I'm madMAD！〃 he said to himself。
〃Josephine is as high above her as heaven above earth。 What is there to her； anyhow？ Not brainsnor taste nor such miraculous beauty。 Why do I make an ass of myself about her？ I ought to go to my doctor。〃
〃I don't believe you're listening to what I'm saying；〃 laughed Josephine。
〃My head's in a terrible state；〃 replied he。 〃I can't think of anything。〃
〃Don't try to talk or to listen； dearest；〃 said she in the sweet and soothing tone that is neither sweet nor soothing to a man in a certain species of unresponsive mood。 〃This air will do you good。 It doesn't annoy you for me to talk to you； does it？〃
The question was one of those which confidently expects； even demands； a sincere and strenuous negative for answer。 It fretted him； this matter…of…course assumption of hers that she could not but be altogether pleasing； not to say enchanting to him。 Her position； her wealth； the attentions she had received； the flatteries In her circumstances could it be in human nature not to think extremely well of oneself？ And he admitted that she had the right so to think。 Still For the first time she scraped upon his nerves。 His reply； 〃Annoy me？ The contrary；〃 was distinctly crisp。 To an experienced ear there would have sounded the faint warning under…note of sullenness。
But she； believing in his love and in herself； saw nothing； suspected nothing。 〃We know each other so thoroughly；〃 she went on； 〃that we don't need to make any effort。 How congenial we are！ I always understand you。 I feel such a sense of the perfect freedom and perfect frankness between us。 Don't you？〃
〃You have wonderful intuitions；〃 said he。
It was the time to alarm him by coldness； by capr… ciousness。 But how could she know it？ And she was in lovereally in lovenot with herself； not with love； but with him。 Thus； she made the mistake of all true lovers in those difficult moments。 She let him see how absolutely she was his。 Nor did the spectacle of her sincerity； of her belief in his sincerity put him in any better humor with himself。
The walk was a mere matter of a dozen blocks。 He thought it would never end。 〃You are sure you aren't ill？〃 she said； when they were at her doora superb bronze door it was； opening into a house of the splendor that for the acclimated New Yorker quite conceals and more than compensates absence of individual taste。 〃You don't look ill。 But you act queerly。〃
〃I'm often this way when they drive me too hard down town。〃
She looked at him with fond admiration； he might have been better pleased had there not been in the look a suggestion of the possessive。 〃How they do need you！ Father says But I mustn't make you any vainer than you are。〃
He usually loved compliment； could take it in its rawest form with fine human gusto。 Now； he did not care enough about that 〃father says〃 to rise to her obvious bait。 〃I'm horribly tired；〃 he said。 〃Shall I see you to…morrow？ No； I guess notnot for several days。 You understand？〃
〃Perfectly；〃 replied she。 〃I'll miss you dreadfully； but my father has trained me well。 I know I mustn't be selfishand tempt you to neglect things。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said he。 〃I must be off。〃
〃You'll come injust a moment？〃 Her eyes sparkled。 〃The butler will have sense enough to go straight awayand the small reception room will be quite empty as usual。〃
He could not escape。 A few seconds and he was alone with her in the little roomhow often had he theybeen glad of its quiet and seclusion on such occasions！ She laid her hand upon his shoulders； gazed at him proudly。 〃It was here；〃 said she； 〃that you first kissed me。 Do you remember？〃
To take her gaze from his face and to avoid seeing her look of loving trust； he put his arms round her。 〃I don't deserve you；〃 he saidone of those empty pretenses of confession that yet give the human soul a sense of truthfulness。
〃You'd not say that if you knew how happy you make me；〃 murmured she。
The welcome sound of a step in the hall give him his release。 When he was in the street； he wiped his hot face with his handkerchief。 〃And I thought I had no moral sense left！〃 he reflectednot the first man； in this climax day of the triumph of selfish philosophies； to be astonished by the discovery that the dead hands of heredity and tradition have a power that can successfully defy reason。
He started to walk back home； on impulse took a passing taxi and went to his club。 It was the Federal。 They said of it that no man who amounted to anything in New York could be elected a member； because any man on his way up could not but offend one or more of the important persons in control。 Most of its members were nominated at birth or in childhood and elected as soon as they were twenty…one。 Norman was elected after he became a man of consequence。 He regarded it as one of the signal triumphs of his career； and beyond question it was proof of his power； of the eagerness of important men； despite their jealousy； to please him and to be in a position to get the benefit of his brains should need arise。 Norman's whole career； like every career great and small； in the arena of action； was a derision of the ancient moralities； a demonstration of the value of fear as an aid to success。 Even his friendsand he had as many as he cared to havehad been drawn to him by the desire to placate him； to stand well where there was danger in standing ill。
Until dinner time he stood at the club bar； drinking one cocktail after another with that supreme indifference to consequences to health which made his fellow men gape and wonderand cost an occasional imitator health； and perhaps life。 Nor did the powerful liquor have the least effect upon him； apparently。 Possibly he was in a better humor； but not noticeably so。 He dined at the club and spent the evening at bridge； winning several hundred dollars。 He enjoyed the consideration he received at that club； for his fellow members being men of both social and financial consequence； their conspicuous respect for him was a concentrated essence of general adulation。 He lingered on； eating a great supper with real appetite。 He went home in high good humor with himself。 He felt that he was a conqueror born； that such things of his desire as did not come could be forced to come。 He no longer regarded his passion for the nebulous girl of many personalities as a descent from dignity。 Was he not king？ Did not his favor give her whatever rank he pleased？ Might not a king pick and choose； according to his fancy？ Let the smaller fry grow nervous about these matters of caste。 They did well to take care lest they should fall。 But not he！ He had won thus far by haughtiness； never by cringing。 His mortal day would be that in which he should abandon his natural tactics for the modes of lesser men。 True； only a strong head could remain steady in these giddy altitudes of self… confidence。 But was not his head strong？
And without hesitation he called up the vision that made him delirious…and detained it and reveled in it until sleep came。
VIII
THE longer he thought of it the stronger grew his doubt that the little Hallowell girl could be so indifferent to him as she seemed。 Not that she was a fraud that is； a conscious fraudeven so much of a fraud as the sincerest of the other women he had known。 Simply that she was carrying out a scheme of coquetry。 Could it be in human nature； even in the nature of the most indiscriminating of the specimens of young feminine ignorance and folly； not to be flattered by the favor of such a man as he？ Common sense answered that it could not bebut neglected to point out to him that almost any vagary might be expected of human nature； when it could produce such a deviation from the recognized types as a man of his position agitated about such an unsought obscurity as Miss Hallowell。 He continued to debate the state of her mind as if it were an affair of mightiest momentwhich； indeed； it was to him。