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the beautiful arm with which she emphasized it。 Neither did it
strike him that the distinguishing indications of a poetic
exaltation were at all unlike the effects of a grosser stimulant
known as 〃Champagne cocktail〃 on the less sensitive organization of
her colleagues。 Touched by her melancholy but fascinating smile；
he said gallantly that he had observed no sign of exhaustion； or
want of power in her performance that evening。
〃Then you were there！〃 she said； fixing her eyes upon him with an
expression of mournful gratitude。 〃You actually left your business
and the calls of public duty to see the poor mountebank perform her
nightly task。〃
〃I was there with a friend of yours；〃 answered Brimmer soberly；
〃who actually asked me to the supper to which Mr。 Keene had already
invited me； and which YOU had been kind enough to suggest to me a
week ago。〃
〃True； I had forgotten；〃 said Miss Montgomery； with a large
goddess…like indifference that was more effective with the man
before her than the most elaborate explanation。 〃You don't mind
themdo you？for we are all friends together。 My position； you
know；〃 she added sadly； 〃prevents my always following my own
inclinations or preferences。 Poor Markham； I fear the world does
not do justice to his gentle； impressible nature。 I sympathize
with him deeply； we have both had our afflictions； we have both
lost。 Good heavens！〃 she exclaimed； with a sudden exaggerated
start of horror； 〃what have I done？ Forgive my want of tact； dear
friend； I had forgotten； wretched being that I am； that YOU； too〃
She caught his hand in both hers； and bowed her head over it as if
unable to finish her sentence。
Brimmer； who had been utterly mystified and amazed at this picture
of Markham's disconsolate attitude to the world； and particularly
to the woman before him； was completely finished by this later
tribute to his own affliction。 His usually composed features；
however； easily took upon themselves a graver cast as he kept； and
pressed； the warm hands in his own。
〃Fool that I was；〃 continued Miss Montgomery； 〃in thinking of poor
Markham's childlike； open grief； I forgot the deeper sorrow that
the more manly heart experiences under an exterior that seems cold
and impassible。 Yes；〃 she said； raising her languid eyes to
Brimmer； 〃I ought to have felt the throb of that volcano under its
mask of snow。 You have taught me a lesson。〃
Withdrawing her hands hastily； as if the volcano had shown some
signs of activity； she leaned back on the sofa again。
〃You are not yet reconciled to Mr。 Keene's expedition； then？〃 she
asked languidly。
〃I believe that everything has been already done；〃 said Brimmer；
somewhat stiffly； 〃all sources of sensible inquiry have been
exhausted by me。 But I envy Keene the eminently practical
advantages his impractical journey gives him；〃 he added； arresting
himself； gallantly； 〃he goes with you。〃
〃Truly！〃 said Miss Montgomery； with the melancholy abstraction of a
stage soliloquy。 〃Beyond obeying the dictates of his brotherly
affection； he gains no real advantage in learning whether his
sister is alive or dead。 The surety of her death would not make
him freer than he is nowfreer to absolutely follow the dictates
of a new affection； free to make his own life again。 It is a
sister； not a wife； he seeks。〃
Mr。 Brimmer's forehead slightly contracted。 He leaned back a
little more rigidly in his chair； and fixed a critical； half
supercilious look upon her。 She did not seem to notice his almost
impertinent scrutiny； but sat silent； with her eyes bent on the
carpet； in gloomy abstraction。
〃Can you keep a secret？〃 she said； as if with a sudden resolution。
〃Yes；〃 said Brimmer briefly； without changing his look。
〃You know I am a married woman。 You have heard the story of my
wrongs？〃
〃I have heard them；〃 said Brimmer dryly。
〃Well； the husband who abused and deserted me was； I have reason to
believe； a passenger on the Excelsior。〃
〃M'Corkle！impossible。 There was no such name on the passenger
list。〃
〃M'Corkle！〃 repeated Miss Montgomery； with a dissonant tone in her
voice and a slight flash in her eyes。 〃What are you thinking of？
There never was a Mr。 M'Corkle； it was one of my noms de plume。
And where did YOU hear it？〃
〃I beg your pardon； I must have got it from the press notices of
your book of poetry。 I knew that Montgomery was only a stage name；
and as it was necessary that I should have another in making the
business investments you were good enough to charge me with； I used
what I thought was your real name。 It can be changed； or you can
sign M'Corkle。〃
〃Let it go；〃 said Miss Montgomery； resuming her former manner。
〃What matters？ I wish there was no such thing as business。 Well；〃
she resumed； after a pause； 〃my husband's name is Hurlstone。〃
〃But there was no Hurlstone on the passenger list either；〃 said
Brimmer。 〃I knew them all； and their friends。〃
〃Not in the list from the States； but if he came on board at
Callao； you wouldn't have known it。 I knew that he arrived there
on the Osprey a few days before the Excelsior sailed。〃
Mr。 Brimmer's eyes changed their expression。
〃And you want to find him？〃
〃No；〃 she said； with an actress's gesture。 〃I want to know the
truth。 I want to know if I am still tied to this man； or if I am
free to follow the dictates of my own conscience；to make my life
anew；to becomeyou see I am not ashamed to say itto become the
honest wife of some honest man。〃
〃A divorce would suit your purpose equally；〃 said Brimmer coldly。
〃It can be easily obtained。〃
〃A divorce！ Do you know what that means to a woman in my
profession？ It is a badge of shame；a certificate of disgrace；
an advertisement to every miserable wretch who follows me with his
advances that I have no longer the sanctity of girlhood； nor the
protection of a wife。〃
There was tragic emotion in her voice； there were tears in her
eyes。 Mr。 Brimmer； gazing at her with what he firmly thought to be
absolute and incisive penetration； did not believe either。 But
like most practical analysts of the half…motived sex； he was only
half right。 The emotion and the tears were as real as anything
else in the woman under criticism； notwithstanding that they were
not as real as they would have been in the man who criticised。 He；
however； did her full justice on a point where most men and all
women misjudged her： he believed that； through instinct and
calculation； she had been materially faithful to her husband； that
this large goddess…like physique had all the impeccability of a
goddess； that the hysterical dissipation in which she indulged
herself was purely mental； and usurped and preoccupied all other
emotions。 In this public exposition of her beauty there was no
sense of shame； for there was no sense of the passion it evoked。
And he was right。 But there he shoul