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settlements can be drawn so as to secure you half my fortune in
such an event。〃
〃You will never have a chance of running away from me。〃
〃I shall not want to。 I am not so squeamish as I was。 No； I do
not think I shall run away from you。〃
〃I do not think so either。〃
〃Well； when shall we be married？〃
〃Never；〃 said Agatha； and fled。 But before she had gone a step he
caught her。
〃Don't；〃 she said breathlessly。 〃Take your arm away。 How dare
you？〃
He released her and shut the door of the conservatory。 〃Now；〃 he
said； 〃if you want to run away you will have to run in the open。〃
〃You are very impertinent。 Let me go in immediately。〃
〃Do you want me to beg you to marry me after you have offered to
do it freely？〃
〃But I was only joking； I don't care for you；〃 she said； looking
round for an outlet。
〃Agatha；〃 he said； with grim patience； 〃 half an hour ago I had
no more intention of marrying you than of making a voyage to the
moon。 But when you made the suggestion I felt all its force in an
instant； and now nothing will satisfy me but your keeping your
word。 Of all the women I know； you are the only one not quite a
fool。〃
〃I should be a great fool if〃
〃If you married me； you were going to say； but I don't think so。
I am the only man； not quite an ass； of your acquaintance。 I know
my value； and yours。 And I loved you long ago； when I had no
right to。〃
Agatha frowned。 〃No；〃 she said。 〃There is no use in saying
anything more about it。 It is out of the question。〃
〃Come； don't be vindictive。 I was more sincere then than you
were。 But that has nothing to do with the present。 You have spent
our renewed acquaintance on the defensive against me； retorting
upon me； teasing and tempting me。 Be generous for once； and say
Yes with a good will。〃
〃Oh； I NEVER tempted you；〃 cried Agatha。 〃I did not。 It is not
true。〃 He said nothing； but offered his hand。 〃No； go away； I
will not。〃 He persisted； and she felt her power of resistance
suddenly wane。 Terror…stricken； she said hastily； 〃There is not
the least use in bothering me； I will tell you nothing to…day。〃
〃Promise me on your honor that you will say Yes to…morrow； and I
will leave you in peace until then。〃
〃I will not。〃
〃The deuce take your sex；〃 he said plaintively。
〃You know my mind now； and I have to stand here coquetting
because you don't know your own。 If I cared for my comfort I
should remain a bachelor。〃
〃I advise you to do so；〃 she said； stealing backward towards the
door。 〃You are a very interesting widower。 A wife would spoil
you。 Consider the troubles of domesticity； too。〃
〃I like troubles。 They strengthenAha！〃 （she had snatched at the
knob of the door； and he swiftly put his hand on hers and stayed
her）。 〃Not yet； if you please。 Can you not speak out like a
womanlike a man； I mean？ You may withhold a bone from Max until
he stands on his hind legs to beg for it； but you should not
treat me like a dog。 Say Yes frankly； and do not keep me
begging。〃
〃What in the world do you want to marry me for？〃
〃Because I was made to carry a house on my shoulders； and will do
so。 I want to do the best I can for myself； and I shall never
have such a chance again。 And I cannot help myself； and don't
know why； that is the plain truth of the matter。 You will marry
someone some day。〃 She shook her head。 〃Yes； you will。 Why not
marry me？〃
Agatha bit her nether lip； looked ruefully at the ground； and；
after a long pause； said reluctantly； 〃Very well。 But mind； I
think you are acting very foolishly； and if you are disappointed
afterwards； you must not blame ME。〃
〃I take the risk of my bargain；〃 he said； releasing her hand； and
leaning against the door as he took out his pocket diary。 〃You
will have to take the risk of yours； which I hope may not prove
the worse of the two。 This is the seventeenth of June。 What date
before the twenty…fourth of July will suit you？〃
〃You mean the twenty…fourth of July next year； I presume？〃
〃No； I mean this year。 I am going abroad on that date； married or
not； to attend a conference at Geneva； and I want you to come
with me。 I will show you a lot of places and things that you have
never seen before。 It is your right to name the day； but you have
no serious business to provide for； and I have。〃
〃But you don't know all the things I shallI should have to
provide。 You had better wait until you come back from the
continent。〃
〃There is nothing to be provided on your part but settlements and
your trousseau。 The trousseau is all nonsense； and Jansenius
knows me of old in the matter of settlements。 I got married in
six weeks before。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Agatha sharply； 〃but I am not Henrietta。〃
〃No； thank Heaven；〃 he assented placidly。
Agatha was struck with remorse。 〃That was a vile thing for me to
say；〃 she said； 〃and for you too。〃
〃Whatever is true is to the purpose； vile or not。 Will you come
to Geneva on the twenty…fourth？〃
〃ButI really was not thinking when II did not intend to say
that I wouldI〃
〃I know。 You will come if we are married。〃
〃Yes。 IF we are married。〃
〃We shall be married。 Do not write either to your mother or
Jansenius until I ask you。〃
〃I don't intend to。 I have nothing to write about。〃
〃Wretch that you are！ And do not be jealous if you catch me
making love to Lady Brandon。 I always do so； she expects it。〃
〃You may make love to whom you please。 It is no concern of mine。〃
〃Here comes the wagonette with Lady Brandon and Gerand Miss
Lindsay。 I mustn't call her Gertrude now except when you are not
by。 Before they interrupt us； let me remind you of the three
points we are agreed upon。 I love you。 You do not love me。 We are
to be married before the twenty…fourth of next month。 Now I must
fly to help her ladyship to alight。〃
He hastened to the house door； at which the wagonette had just
stopped。 Agatha； bewildered； and ashamed to face her friends；
went in through the conservatory； and locked herself in her room。
Trefusis went into the library with Gertrude whilst Lady Brandon
loitered in the hall to take off her gloves and ask questions of
the servants。 When she followed； she found the two standing
together at the window。 Gertrude was listening to him with the
patient expression she now often wore when he talked。 He was
smiling； but it struck Jane that he was not quite at ease。 〃I was
just beginning to tell Miss Lindsay；〃 he said； 〃of an
extraordinary thing that has happened during your absence。〃
〃I know；〃 exclaimed Jane； with sudden conviction。 〃The heater in
the conservatory has cracked。〃
〃Possibly；〃 said Trefusis； 〃but； if so； I have not heard of it。〃
〃If it hasn't cracked； it will；〃 said Jane gloomily。 Then；
assuming with some effort an interest in Trefusis's news； she
added： 〃Well； what has happened？〃
〃I was chatting with Miss Wylie just now； when a singular idea
occurred to us。 We discussed it for some time； and the upshot is
that we are to be married before the end of next month。〃
Jane reddened and stared at him； and he looked keenly back at
her。 Gertrude； though unobserved； did not suffer her expression
of patient happiness to change in the least； but a greenish…white
color suddenly appeared in her face； and only gave place very
slowly to her usual complexion。
〃Do you mean to say that you are going to marry AGATHA？〃 said
Lady Brandon incredulously； after a pause。
〃Yes。 I had no intention of doing so when I last saw you or I
should have told you。〃
〃I never heard of such a thing in my life！ You fell in love with
one another in five minutes； I suppose。〃
〃Good Heavens； no！ we are not in love with one another。 Can you
believe that I would marry for such a frivolous reason？ No。 The
subject turned up accidentally； and the advantage of a match
between us struck me forcibly。 I was fortunate enough to convert
her to my opinion。〃
〃Yes； she wanted a lot of pressing； I dare say；〃 said Jane；
glancing at Gertrude； who was smiling unmeaningly。
〃As you imply；〃 said Trefusis coolly； 〃her reluctance may have
been affected； and she only too glad to get such a charming
husband。 Assuming that to be the case； she dissembled remarkably
well。〃
Gertrude took off her bonnet； and left the room without speaking。
〃This is my revenge upon you for marrying Brandon；〃 he said then；
approaching Jane。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she retorted ironically。 〃I believe all that； of
course。〃
〃You have the same security for its truth as for that of all the
foolish things I confess to you。 There！〃 He pointed to a panel of
looking glass； in which Jane's figure was reflected at full
length。
〃I don't see anything to admire；〃 said Jane； looking at herself
with no great favor。 〃There is plenty of me； if you admire that。〃
〃It is impossible to have too much of a good thing。 But I must
not look any more。 Though Agatha says she does not love me； I am
not sure that she would be pleased if I were to look for love
from anyone else。〃
〃Says she does not love you！ Don't believe her； she has taken
trouble enough to catch you。〃
〃I am flattered。 You caught me without any trouble； and yet you
would not have me。〃
〃It is manners to wait to be asked。 I think you have treated
Gertrude