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beautyas if you were an angel。 I am in earnest in my love for
you as I am in earnest for my own life； which can only be
perfected by your aid and influence。〃
〃You are greatly mistaken if you suppose that I am an angel。〃
〃You are wrong to mistrust yourself； but it is what I owe to you
and not what I expect from you that I try to express by speaking
of you as an angel。 I know that you are not an angel to yourself。
But you are to me。〃
She sat stubbornly silent。
〃I will not press you for an answer now。 I am content that you
know my mind at last。 Shall we return together？〃
She looked round slowly at the hemlock； and from that to the
river。 Then she took up her basket； rose； and prepared to go； as
if under compulsion。
〃Do you want any more hemlock？〃 he said。 〃If so； I will pluck
some for you。〃
〃I wish you would let me alone；〃 she said； with sudden anger。 She
added； a little ashamed of herself； 〃I have a headache。〃
〃I am very sorry；〃 he said； crestfallen。
〃It is only that I do not wish to be spoken to。 It hurts my head
to listen。〃
He meekly took his bicycle from the ditch and wheeled it along
beside her to the Beeches without another word。 They went in
through the conservatory； and parted in the dining…room。 Before
leaving him she said with some remorse； 〃I did not mean to be
rude； Mr。 Erskine。〃
He flushed； murmured something； and attempted to kiss her hand。
But she snatched it away and went out quickly。 He was stung by
this repulse； and stood mortifying himself by thinking of it
until he was disturbed by the entrance of a maid…servant。
Learning from her that Sir Charles was in the billiard room； he
joined him there； and asked him carelessly if he had heard the
news。
〃About Miss Wylie？〃 said Sir Charles。 〃Yes； I should think so。 I
believe the whole country knows it； though they have not been
engaged three hours。 Have you seen these？〃 And he pushed a couple
of newspapers across the table。
Erskine had to make several efforts before he could read。 〃 You
were a fool to sign that document；〃 he said。 〃I told you so at
the time。〃
〃I relied on the fellow being a gentleman；〃 said Sir Charles
warmly。 〃 I do not see that I was a fool。 I see that he is a cad；
and but for this business of Miss Wylie's I would let him know my
opinion。 Let me tell you； Chester； that he has played fast and
loose with Miss Lindsay。 There is a deuce of a row upstairs。 She
has just told Jane that she must go home at once； Miss Wylie
declares that she will have nothing to do with Trefusis if Miss
Lindsay has a prior claim to him； and Jane is annoyed at his
admiring anybody except herself。 It serves me right； my instinct
warned me against the fellow from the first。〃 Just then luncheon
was announced。 Gertrude did not come down。 Agatha was silent and
moody。 Jane tried to make Erskine describe his walk with
Gertrude； but he baffled her curiosity by omitting from his
account everything except its commonplaces。
〃I think her conduct very strange；〃 said Jane。 〃She insists on
going to town by the four o'clock train。 I consider that it's not
polite to me； although she always made a point of her perfect
manners。 I never heard of such a thing！〃
When they had risen from the table； they went together to the
drawing…room。 They had hardly arrived there when Trefusis was
announced； and he was in their presence before they had time to
conceal the expression of consternation his name brought into
their faces。
〃I have come to say good…bye；〃 he said。 〃I find that I must go to
town by the four o'clock train to push my arrangements in person；
the telegrams I have received breathe nothing but delay。 Have you
seen the 'Times'？〃
〃I have indeed；〃 said Sir Charles； emphatically。
〃You are in some other paper too； and will be in half…a…dozen
more in the course of the next fortnight。 Men who have committed
themselves to an opinion are always in trouble with the
newspapers； some because they cannot get into them； others
because they cannot keep out。 If you had put forward a thundering
revolutionary manifesto； not a daily paper would have dared
allude to it： there is no cowardice like Fleet Street cowardice！
I must run off； I have much to do before I start； and it is
getting on for three。 Good…bye； Lady Brandon； and everybody。〃
He shook Jane's hand； dealt nods to the rest rapidly； making no
distinction in favor of Agatha； and hurried away。 They stared
after him for a moment and then Erskine ran out and went
downstairs two steps at a time。 Nevertheless he had to run as far
as the avenue before he overtook his man。
〃Trefusis；〃 he said breathlessly； 〃you must not go by the four
o'clock train。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Miss Lindsay is going to town by it。〃
〃So much the better； my dear boy； so much the better。 You are not
jealous of me now； are you？〃
〃Look here； Trefusis。 I don't know and I don't ask what there has
been between you and Miss Lindsay； but your engagement has quite
upset her； and she is running away to London in consequence。 If
she hears that you are going by the same train she will wait
until to…morrow； and I believe the delay would be very
disagreeable。 Will you inflict that additional pain upon her？〃
Trefusis； evidently concerned； looking doubtfully at Erskine； and
pondered for a moment。 〃I think you are on a wrong scent about
this；〃 he said。 〃My relations with Miss Lindsay were not of a
sentimental kind。 Have you said anything to heron your own
account； I mean？〃
〃I have spoken to her on both accounts； and I know from her own
lips that I am right。〃
Trefusis uttered a low whistle。
〃It is not the first time I have had the evidence of my senses in
the matter；〃 said Erskine significantly。 〃 Pray think of it
seriously； Trefusis。 Forgive my telling you frankly that nothing
but your own utter want of feeling could excuse you for the way
in which you have acted towards her。〃
Trefusis smiled。 〃Forgive me in turn for my inquisitiveness；〃 he
said。 〃What does she say to your suit？〃
Erskine hesitated； showing by his manner that he thought Trefusis
had no right to ask the question。 〃She says nothing；〃 he
answered。
〃Hm！〃 said Trefusis。 〃Well； you may rely on me as to the train。
There is my hand upon it。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Erskine fervently。 They shook hands and parted；
Trefusis walking away with a grin suggestive of anything but good
faith。
CHAPTER XVII
Gertrude； unaware of the extent to which she had already betrayed
her disappointment； believed that anxiety for her father's
health； which she alleged as the motive of her sudden departure；
was an excuse plausible enough to blind her friends to her
overpowering reluctance to speak to Agatha or endure her
presence； to her fierce shrinking from the sort of pity usually
accorded to a jilted woman； and； above all； to her dread of
meeting Trefusis。 She had for some time past thought of him as an
upright and perfect man deeply interested in her。 Yet；
comparatively liberal as her education had been； she had no idea
of any interest of man in woman existing apart from a desire to
marry。 He had； in his serious moments； striven to make her
sensible of the baseness he saw in her world