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Gertrude looked up； as if she thought this scarcely ladylike。
〃Yes；〃 said Trefusis。 〃We are the best friends in the worldas
good as possible； at any rate。 He wanted me to subscribe to a
fund for relieving the poor at the east end of London by
assisting them to emigrate。〃
〃I presume you subscribed liberally；〃 said Erskine。 〃It was an
opportunity of doing some practical good。〃
〃I did not；〃 said Trefusis； grinning at the sarcasm。 〃This
Transcanadian Railway Company； having got a great deal of spare
land from the Canadian government for nothing； thought it would
be a good idea to settle British workmen on it and screw rent out
of them。 Plenty of British workmen； supplanted in their
employment by machinery； or cheap foreign labor； or one thing or
another； were quite willing to go； but as they couldn't afford to
pay their passages to Canada； the Company appealed to the
benevolent to pay for them by subscription； as the change would
improve their miserable condition。 I did not see why I should pay
to provide a rich company with tenant farmers； and I told
Jansenius so。 He remarked that when money and not talk was
required； the workmen of England soon found out who were their
real friends。〃
〃I know nothing about these questions；〃 said Sir Charles； with an
air of conclusiveness； 〃but I see no objection to emigration〃 The
fact is；〃 said Trefusis； 〃the idea of emigration is a dangerous
one for us。 Familiarize the workman with it； and some day he may
come to see what a capital thing it would be to pack off me； and
you； with the peerage； and the whole tribe of unprofitable
proprietors such as we are； to St。 Helena； making us a handsome
present of the island by way of indemnity！ We are such a
restless； unhappy lot； that I doubt whether it would not prove a
good thing for us too。 The workmen would lose nothing but the
contemplation of our elegant persons； exquisite manners； and
refined tastes。 They might provide against that loss by picking
out a few of us to keep for ornament's sake。 No nation with a
sense of beauty would banish Lady Brandon； or Miss Lindsay； or
Miss Wylie。〃
〃Such nonsense！〃 said Jane。
〃You would hardly believe how much I have spent in sending
workmen out of the country against my own view of the country's
interest；〃 continued Trefusis； addressing Erskine。 〃When I make a
convert among the working classes； the first thing he does is to
make a speech somewhere declaring his new convictions。 His
employer immediately discharges him'gives him the sack' is the
technical phrase。 The sack is the sword of the capitalist； and
hunger keeps it sharp for him。 His shield is the law； made for
the purpose by his own class。 Thus equipped； he gives the worst
of it to my poor convert； who comes ruined to me for assistance。
As I cannot afford to pension him for life； I get rid of him by
assisting him to emigrate。 Sometimes he prospers and repays me；
sometimes I hear no more of him； sometimes he comes back with his
habits unsettled。 One man whom I sent to America made his
fortune； but he was not a social democrat； he was a clerk who had
embezzled； and who applied to me for assistance under the
impression that I considered it rather meritorious to rob the
till of a capitalist。〃
〃He was a practical Socialist； in fact；〃 said Erskine。
〃On the contrary； he was a somewhat too grasping Individualist。
Howbeit； I enabled him to make good his defalcationin the city
they consider a defalcation made good when the money is
replacedand to go to New York。 I recommended him not to go
there； but he knew better than I； for he made a fortune by
speculating with money that existed only in the imagination of
those with whom he dealt。 He never repaid me； he is probably far
too good a man of business to pay money that cannot be extracted
from him by an appeal to the law or to his commercial credit。 Mr。
Erskine；〃 added Trefusis； lowering his voice； and turning to the
poet； 〃you are wrong to take part with hucksters and
money…hunters against your own nature； even though the attack
upon them is led by a man who prefers photography to etching。〃
〃But I assure youYou quite mistake me；〃 said Erskine； taken
aback。 〃I〃
He stopped；looked to Sir Charles for support； and then said
airily： 〃I don't doubt that you are quite right。 I hate business
and men of business； and as to social questions； I have only one
article of belief； which is； that the sole refiner of human
nature is fine art。〃
〃Whereas I believe that the sole refiner of art is human nature。
Art rises when men rise； and grovels when men grovel。 What is
your opinion？〃
〃I agree with you in many ways；〃 replied Sir Charles nervously；
for a lack of interest in his fellow…creatures； and an excess of
interest in himself； had prevented him from obtaining that power
of dealing with social questions which； he felt； a baronet ought
to possess； and he was consequently afraid to differ from anyone
who alluded to them with confidence。 〃If you take an interest in
art； I believe I can show you a few things worth seeing。〃
〃Thank you。 In return I will some day show you a remarkable
collection of photographs I possess； many of them taken by me。 I
venture to think they will teach you something。〃
〃No doubt；〃 said Sir Charles。 〃Shall we return to the gallery？ I
have a few treasures there that photography is not likely to
surpass for some time yet。〃
〃Let's go through the conservatory；〃 said Jane。 〃Don't you like
flowers； Mr。 SmiI never can remember your proper name。〃
〃Extremely；〃 said Trefusis。
They rose and went out into a long hothouse。 Here Lady Brandon；
finding Erskine at her side； and Sir Charles before her with
Gertrude； looked round for Trefusis； with whom she intended to
enjoy a trifling flirtation under cover of showing him the
flowers。 He was out of sight； but she heard his footsteps in the
passage on the opposite side of the greenhouse。 Agatha was also
invisible。 Jane； not daring to rearrange their procession lest
her design should become obvious； had to walk on with Erskine。
Agatha had turned unintentionally into the opposite alley to that
which the others had chosen。 When she saw what she had done； and
found herself virtually alone with Trefusis； who had followed
her； she blamed him for it； and was about to retrace her steps
when he said coolly：
〃Were you shocked when you heard of Henrietta's sudden death？〃
Agatha struggled with herself for a moment； and then said in a
suppressed voice： 〃How dare you speak to me？〃
〃Why not？〃 said he； astonished。
〃I am not going to enter into a discussion with you。 You know
what I mean very well。〃
〃You mean that you are offended with me； that is plain enough。
But when I part with a young lady on good terms； and after a
lapse of years； during which we neither meet nor correspond； she
asks me how I dare speak to her； I am naturally startled。〃
〃We did not part on good terms。〃
Trefusis stretched his eyebrows； as if to stretch his memory。 〃If
not；〃 he said； 〃I have forgotten it； on my honor。 When did we
part； and what happened？ It cannot have been anything very
serious； or I should remember it。〃
His forgetfulness wounded Agatha。 〃No doubt you are well
accustomed to〃 She checked herself； and made a successful
snatch at her normal manner with gentlemen。 〃I scarcely remember
what it was； now that I begin to think。 Some trifle； I suppose。
Do you like orchids？〃
〃They have nothing to do with our affairs at present。 You are not
in earnest about the orchids； and you are trying to run away from
a mistake instead of clearing it up。 That is a short…sighted
policy； always。〃
Agatha grew alarmed； for she felt his old influence over her
returning。 〃I do not wish to speak of it；〃 she said firmly。
Her firmness was lost on him。 〃I do not even know what it means
yet；〃 he said； 〃and I want to know； for I believe there is some
misunderstanding between us； and it is the trick of your sex to
perpetuate misunderstandings by forbidding all allusions to them。
Perhaps； leaving Lyvern so hastily； I forgot to fulfil some
promise； or to say farewell； or something of that sort。 But do
you know how suddenly I was called away？ I got a telegram to say
that Henrietta was dying； and I had only time to change my
clothesyou remember my disguiseand catch the express。 And；
after all； she was dead when I arrived。〃
〃I know that；〃 said Agatha uneasily。 〃Please say no more about
it。〃
〃Not if it distresses you。 Just let me hope that you did not
suppose I blamed you for your share in the matter or that I told
the Janseniuses of it。 I did not。 Yes； I like orchids。 A plant
that can subsist on a scrap of board is an instance of natural
econ〃
〃YOU blame ME！〃 cried Agatha。 〃_I_ never told the Janseniuses。
What would they have thought of you if I had？〃
〃Far worse of you than of me； however unjustly。 You were the
immediate cause of the tragedy； I only the remote one。 Jansenius
is not far…seeing when his feelings are touched。 Few men are。〃
〃I don't understand you in the least。 What tragedy do you mean？〃
〃Henrietta's death。 I call it a tragedy conventionally。
Seriously； of course； it was commonplace enough。〃
Agatha stopped and faced him。 〃