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'Partly yes； and partly no！ It's very true； and it's not true！'
''Tis to be hoped she won't hate you outright； for then you would
absolutely die of idolizing her。'
'Don't； Neigh！Still there's some truth in itsuch is the
perversity of our hearts。 Fancy marrying such a woman！'
'We should feel as eternally united to her after years and years of
marriage as to a dear new angel met at last night's dance。'
'Exactlyjust what I should have said。 But did I hear you say
〃We；〃 Neigh？ You didn't say 〃WE should feel？〃'
'Say 〃we〃？yesof courseputting myself in your place just in the
way of speaking； you know。'
'Of course； of course； but one is such a fool at these times that
one seems to detect rivalry in every trumpery sound！ Were you never
a little touched？'
'Not I。 My heart is in the happy position of a country which has no
history or debt。'
'I suppose I should rejoice to hear it；' said Ladywell。 'But the
consciousness of a fellow…sufferer being in just such another hole
is such a relief always； and softens the sense of one's folly so
very much。'
'There's less Christianity in that sentiment than in your confessing
to it； old fellow。 I know the truth of it nevertheless； and that's
why married men advise others to marry。 Were all the world tied up；
the pleasantly tied ones would be equivalent to those at present
free。 But what if your fellow…sufferer is not only in another such
a hole； but in the same one？'
'No； Neighnever！ Don't trifle with a friend who'
'That is； refused like yourself； as well as in love。'
'Ah； thanks； thanks！ It suddenly occurred to me that we might be
dead against one another as rivals； and a friendship of many long
days be snapped like alike a reed。'
'Nonoonly a jest；' said Neigh； with a strangely accelerated
speech。 'Love…making is an ornamental pursuit that matter…of…fact
fellows like me are quite unfit for。 A man must have courted at
least half…a…dozen women before he's a match for one； and since
triumph lies so far ahead； I shall keep out of the contest
altogether。'
'Your life would be pleasanter if you were engaged。 It is a nice
thing； after all。'
'It is。 The worst of it would be that； when the time came for
breaking it off； a fellow might get into an action for breachwomen
are so fond of that sort of thing now； and I hate love…affairs that
don't end peaceably！'
'But end it by peaceably marrying； my dear fellow！'
'It would seem so singular。 Besides； I have a horror of antiquity：
and you see； as long as a man keeps single； he belongs in a measure
to the rising generation； however old he may be； but as soon as he
marries and has children； he belongs to the last generation； however
young he may be。 Old Jones's son is a deal younger than young
Brown's father； though they are both the same age。'
'At any rate； honest courtship cures a man of many evils he had no
power to stem before。'
'By substituting an incurable matrimony！'
'Ahtwo persons must have a mind for that before it can happen！'
said Ladywell； sorrowfully shaking his head。
'I think you'll find that if one has a mind for it； it will be quite
sufficient。 But here we are at my rooms。 Come in for half…an…
hour？'
'Not to…night； thanks！'
They parted； and Neigh went in。 When he got upstairs he murmured in
his deepest chest note； 'O； lords； that I should come to this！ But
I shall never be such a fool as to marry her！ What a flat that poor
young devil was not to discover that we were tarred with the same
brush。 O； the deuce； the deuce！' he continued； walking about the
room as if passionately stamping； but not quite doing it because
another man had rooms below。
Neigh drew from his pocket…book an envelope embossed with the name
of a fashionable photographer； and out of this pulled a portrait of
the lady who had； in fact； enslaved his secret self equally with his
frank young friend the painter。 After contemplating it awhile with
a face of cynical adoration； he murmured； shaking his head； 'Ah； my
lady； if you only knew this； I should be snapped up like a snail！
Not a minute's peace for me till I had married you。 I wonder if I
shall！I wonder。'
Neigh was a man of five…and…thirtyLadywell's senior by ten years；
and； being of a phlegmatic temperament； he had glided thus far
through the period of eligibility with impunity。 He knew as well as
any man how far he could go with a woman and yet keep clear of
having to meet her in church without her bonnet； but it is doubtful
if his mind that night were less disturbed with the question how to
guide himself out of the natural course which his passion for
Ethelberta might tempt him into； than was Ladywell's by his ardent
wish to secure her。
About the time at which Neigh and Ladywell parted company；
Christopher Julian was entering his little place in Bloomsbury。 The
quaint figure of Faith； in her bonnet and cloak； was kneeling on the
hearth…rug endeavouring to stir a dull fire into a bright one。
'WhatFaith！ you have never been out alone？' he said。
Faith's soft； quick…shutting eyes looked unutterable things； and she
replied； 'I have been to hear Mrs。 Petherwin's story…telling again。'
'And walked all the way home through the streets at this time of
night； I suppose！'
'Well； nobody molested me； either going or coming back。'
'Faith； I gave you strict orders not to go into the streets after
two o'clock in the day； and now here you are taking no notice of
what I say at all！'
'The truth is； Kit； I wanted to see with my spectacles what this
woman was really like； and I went without them last time。 I slipped
in behind； and nobody saw me。'
'I don't think much of her after what I have seen tonight；' said
Christopher； moodily recurring to a previous thought。
'Why？ What is the matter？'
'I thought I would call on her this afternoon； but when I got there
I found she had left early for the performance。 So in the evening；
when I thought it would be all over； I went to the private door of
the Hall to speak to her as she came out； and ask her flatly a
question or two which I was fool enough to think I must ask her
before I went to bed。 Just as I was drawing near she came out； and；
instead of getting into the brougham that was waiting for her； she
went round the corner。 When she came back a man met her and gave
her something； and they stayed talking together two or three
minutes。 The meeting may certainly not have been intentional on her
part； but she has no business to be going on so coolly whenwhen
in fact； I have come to the conclusion that a woman's affection is
not worth having。 The only feeling which has any dignity or
permanence or worth is family affection between close blood…
relations。'
'And yet you snub me sometimes； Mr。 Kit。'
'And； for the matter of that； you snub me。 Still； you know what I
meanthere's none of that off…and…on humbug between us。 If we
grumble with one another we are united just the same： if we don't
write when we are parted； we are just the same when we meetthere
has been some rational reason for silence； but as for lovers and
sweethearts； there is nothing worth a rush in what they feel！'
Faith