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Just then Agatha； skating hand in hand with Jane Carpenter； heard
these words in her ear： 〃I have something very funny to tell you。
Don't look round。〃
She recognized the voice of Smilash and obeyed。
〃I am not quite sure that you will enjoy it as it deserves；〃 he
added； and darted off again； after casting an eloquent glance at
Miss Carpenter。
Agatha disengaged herself from her companion； made a circuit； and
passed near Smilash； saying： 〃What is it？〃
Smilash flitted away like a swallow； traced several circles
around Fairholme； and then returned to Agatha and proceeded side
by side with her。
〃I have read the letter you wrote to Hetty；〃 he said。
Agatha's face began to glow。 She forgot to maintain her balance；
and almost fell。
〃Take care。 And so you are not fond of mein the romantic
sense？〃
No answer。 Agatha dumb and afraid to lift her eyelids。
〃That is fortunate；〃 he continued； 〃becausegood evening； Miss
Ward； I have done nothing but admire your skating for the last
hourbecause men were deceivers ever； and I am no exception； as
you will presently admit。〃
Agatha murmured something； but it was unintelligible amid the din
of skating。
〃You think not？ Well； perhaps you are right； I have said nothing
to you that is not in a measure true。 You have always had a
peculiar charm for me。 But I did not mean you to tell Hetty。 Can
you guess why？〃
Agatha shook her head。
〃Because she is my wife。〃
Agatha's ankles became limp。 With an effort she kept upright
until she reached Jane； to whom she clung for support。
〃Don't；〃 screamed Jane。 〃You'll upset me。〃
〃I must sit down；〃 said Agatha。 〃I am tired。 Let me lean on you
until we get to the chairs。〃
〃Bosh！ I can skate for an hour without sitting down；〃 said Jane。
However； she helped Agatha to a chair and left her。 Then Smilash；
as if desiring a rest also； sat down close by on the margin of
the pond。
〃Well；〃 he said； without troubling himself as to whether their
conversation attracted attention or not； 〃what do you think of me
now？〃
〃Why did you not tell me before； Mr。 Trefusis？〃
〃That is the cream of the joke；〃 he replied； poising his heels on
the ice so that his skates stood vertically at legs' length from
him； and looking at them with a cynical air。 〃I thought you were
in love with me； and that the truth would be too severe a blow to
you。 Ha！ ha！ And； for the same reason； you generously forbore to
tell me that you were no more in love with me than with the man
in the moon。 Each played a farce； and palmed it off on the other
as a tragedy。〃
〃There are some things so unmanly； so unkind； and so cruel；〃 said
Agatha； 〃that I cannot understand any gentleman saying them to a
girl。 Please do not speak to me again。 Miss Ward！ Come to me for
a moment。 II am not well。〃
Ward hurried to her side。 Smilash； after staring at her for a
moment in astonishment； and in some concern； skimmed away into
the crowd。 When he reached the opposite bank he took off his
skates and asked Jane； who strayed intentionally in his
direction； to tell Miss Wylie that he was gone； and would skate
no more there。 Without adding a word of explanation he left her
and made for his dwelling。 As he went down into the hollow where
the road passed through the plantation on the college side of the
chalet he descried a boy； in the uniform of the post office；
sliding along the frozen ditch。 A presentiment of evil tidings
came upon him like a darkening of the sky。 He quickened his pace。
〃Anything for me？〃 he said。
The boy； who knew him； fumbled in a letter case and produced a
buff envelope。 It contained a telegram。
From Jansenius； London。
TO J。 Smilash； Chamoounix Villa； Lyvern。
_________________________________________
Henrietta dangerously ill after journey
wants to see you doctors say must come at once
_________________________________________
There was a pause。 Then he folded the paper methodically and put
it in his pocket； as if quite done with it。
〃And so；〃 he said； 〃perhaps the tragedy is to follow the farce
after all。〃
He looked at the boy； who retreated； not liking his expression。
〃Did you slide all the way from Lyvern？〃
〃Only to come quicker；〃 said the messenger； faltering。 〃I came as
quick as I could。〃
〃You carried news heavy enough to break the thickest ice ever
frozen。 I have a mind to throw you over the top of that tree
instead of giving you this half…crown。〃
〃You let me alone；〃 whimpered the boy； retreating another pace。
〃Get back to Lyvern as fast as you can run or slide； and tell Mr。
Marsh to send me the fastest trap he has； to drive me to the
railway station。 Here is your half…crown。 Off with you； and if I
do not find the trap ready when I want it； woe betide you。〃
The boy came for the money mistrustfully； and ran off with it as
fast as he could。 Smilash went into the chalet and never
reappeared。 Instead； Trefusis； a gentleman in an ulster； carrying
a rug； came out； locked the door； and hurried along the road to
Lyvern； where he was picked up by the trap； and carried swiftly
to the railway station； just in time to catch the London train。
〃Evening paper； sir？〃 said a voice at the window； as he settled
himself in the corner of a first…class carriage。
〃No； thank you。〃
〃Footwarmer； sir？〃 said a porter； appearing in the news…vender's
place。
〃Ah； that's a good idea。 Yes； let me have a footwarmer。〃
The footwarmer was brought； and Trefusis composed himself
comfortably for his journey。 It seemed very short to him； he
could hardly believe； when the train arrived in London； that he
had been nearly three hours on the way。
There was a sense of Christmas about the travellers and the
people who were at the terminus to meet them。 The porter who came
to the carriage door reminded Trefusis by his manner and voice
that the season was one at which it becomes a gentleman to be
festive and liberal。
〃Wot luggage； sir？ Hansom or fourweoll； sir？〃
For a moment Trefusis felt a vagabond impulse to resume the
language of Smilash and fable to the man of hampers of turkey and
plum…pudding in the van。 But he repressed it； got into a hansom；
and was driven to his father…in…law's house in Belsize Avenue；
studying in a gloomily critical mood the anxiety that surged upon
him and made his heart beat like a boy's as he drew near his
destination。 There were two carriages at the door when he
alighted。 The reticent expression of the coachmen sent a tremor
through him。
The door opened before he rang。 〃If you please； sir；〃 said the
maid in a low voice； 〃will you step into the library； and the
doctor will see you immediately。〃
On the first landing of the staircase two gentlemen were speaking
to Mr。 Jansenius； who hastily moved out of sight； not before a
glimpse of his air of grief 174 and discomfiture had given
Trefusis a strange twinge； succeeded by a sensation of having
been twenty years a widower。 He smiled unconcernedly as he
followed the girl into the library； and asked her how she did。
She murmured some reply and hurried away； thinking that the poor
young man would alter his tone presently。
He was joined at once by a gray whiskered gentleman； scrupulously
dressed and mannered。 Trefusis introduced himself； and the
physician looked at him with some interest。 Then he said：
〃You have arrived too late； Mr。 Trefusis。 All is over； I am sorry
to say。〃
〃Was the long railway journey she took in this cold weather the
cause of her death？〃
Some bitter words that the physician had heard upstairs made him
aware that this was a delicate question。 But he said quietly：
〃The proximate cause； doubtless。 The proximate cause。〃
〃She received some unwelcome and quite unlooked…for intelligence
before she started。 Had that anything to do with her death； do
you think？〃
〃It may have produced an unfavorable effect；〃 said the physician；
growing restive and taking up his gloves。 〃The habit of referring
such events to such causes is carried too far； as a rule。〃
〃No doubt。 I am curious because the event is novel in my
experience。 I suppose it is a commonplace in yours。 Pardon me。
175 The loss of a lady so young and so favorably circumstanced
is not a commonplace either in my experience or in my opinion。〃
The physician held up his head as he spoke； in protest against
any assumption that his sympathies had been blunted by his
profession。
〃Did she suffer？〃
〃For some hours； yes。 We were able to do a little to alleviate
her painpoor thing！〃 He almost forgot Trefusis as he added the
apostrophe。
〃Hours of pain！ Can you conceive any good purpose that those
hours may have served？〃
The physician shook his head； leaving it doubtful whether he
meant to reply in the negative or to deplore considerations of
that nature。 He also made a movement to depart； being uneasy in
conversation with Trefusis； who would； he felt sure； presently
ask questions or make remarks with which he could hardly deal
without committing himself in some direction。 His conscience was
not quite at rest。 Henrietta's pain had not； he thought； served
any good purpose； but he did not want to say so； lest he should
acquire a reputation for impiety and lose his practice。 He
be