II + 

Miss Bart, emerging late the next morning from her cabin, found herself alone on the deck of the Sabrina. + 

The cushioned chairs, disposed expectantly under the wide awning, showed no signs of recent occupancy, and she presently learned from a steward that Mrs.┬аDorset had not yet appeared, and that the gentlemenтБатАФseparatelyтБатАФhad gone ashore as soon as they had breakfasted. Supplied with these facts, Lily leaned awhile over the side, giving herself up to a leisurely enjoyment of the spectacle before her. Unclouded sunlight enveloped sea and shore in a bath of purest radiancy. The purpling waters drew a sharp white line of foam at the base of the shore; against its irregular eminences, hotels and villas flashed from the greyish verdure of olive and eucalyptus; and the background of bare and finely-pencilled mountains quivered in a pale intensity of light. + 

How beautiful it wasтБатАФand how she loved beauty! She had always felt that her sensibility in this direction made up for certain obtusenesses of feeling of which she was less proud; and during the last three months she had indulged it passionately. The DorsetsтАЩ invitation to go abroad with them had come as an almost miraculous release from crushing difficulties; and her faculty for renewing herself in new scenes, and casting off problems of conduct as easily as the surroundings in which they had arisen, made the mere change from one place to another seem, not merely a postponement, but a solution of her troubles. Moral complications existed for her only in the environment that had produced them; she did not mean to slight or ignore them, but they lost their reality when they changed their background. She could not have remained in New York without repaying the money she owed to Trenor; to acquit herself of that odious debt she might even have faced a marriage with Rosedale; but the accident of placing the Atlantic between herself and her obligations made them dwindle out of sight as if they had been milestones and she had travelled past them. + 

Her two months on the Sabrina had been especially calculated to aid this illusion of distance. She had been plunged into new scenes, and had found in them a renewal of old hopes and ambitions. The cruise itself charmed her as a romantic adventure. She was vaguely touched by the names and scenes amid which she moved, and had listened to Ned Silverton reading Theocritus by moonlight, as the yacht rounded the Sicilian promontories, with a thrill of the nerves that confirmed her belief in her intellectual superiority. But the weeks at Cannes and Nice had really given her more pleasure. The gratification of being welcomed in high company, and of making her own ascendency felt there, so that she found herself figuring once more as the тАЬbeautiful Miss BartтАЭ in the interesting journal devoted to recording the least movements of her cosmopolitan companionsтБатАФall these experiences tended to throw into the extreme background of memory the prosaic and sordid difficulties from which she had escaped. + 

If she was faintly aware of fresh difficulties ahead, she was sure of her ability to meet them: it was characteristic of her to feel that the only problems she could not solve were those with which she was familiar. Meanwhile she could honestly be proud of the skill with which she had adapted herself to somewhat delicate conditions. She had reason to think that she had made herself equally necessary to her host and hostess; and if only she had seen any perfectly irreproachable means of drawing a financial profit from the situation, there would have been no cloud on her horizon. The truth was that her funds, as usual, were inconveniently low; and to neither Dorset nor his wife could this vulgar embarrassment be safely hinted. Still, the need was not a pressing one; she could worry along, as she had so often done before, with the hope of some happy change of fortune to sustain her; and meanwhile life was gay and beautiful and easy, and she was conscious of figuring not unworthily in such a setting. + 

She was engaged to breakfast that morning with the Duchess of Beltshire, and at twelve oтАЩclock she asked to be set ashore in the gig. Before this she had sent her maid to enquire if she might see Mrs.┬аDorset; but the reply came back that the latter was tired, and trying to sleep. Lily thought she understood the reason of the rebuff. Her hostess had not been included in the DuchessтАЩs invitation, though she herself had made the most loyal efforts in that direction. But her grace was impervious to hints, and invited or omitted as she chose. It was not LilyтАЩs fault if Mrs.┬аDorsetтАЩs complicated attitudes did not fall in with the DuchessтАЩs easy gait. The Duchess, who seldom explained herself, had not formulated her objection beyond saying: тАЬSheтАЩs rather a bore, you know. The only one of your friends I like is that little Mr.┬аBryтБатАФheтАЩs funnyтБатАФтАЭ but Lily knew enough not to press the point, and was not altogether sorry to be thus distinguished at her friendтАЩs expense. Bertha certainly had grown tiresome since she had taken to poetry and Ned Silverton. + 

On the whole, it was a relief to break away now and then from the Sabrina; and the DuchessтАЩs little breakfast, organized by Lord Hubert with all his usual virtuosity, was the pleasanter to Lily for not including her travelling-companions. Dorset, of late, had grown more than usually morose and incalculable, and Ned Silverton went about with an air that seemed to challenge the universe. The freedom and lightness of the ducal intercourse made an agreeable change from these complications, and Lily was tempted, after luncheon, to adjourn in the wake of her companions to the hectic atmosphere of the Casino. She did not mean to play; her diminished pocket-money offered small scope for the adventure; but it amused her to sit on a divan, under the doubtful protection of the DuchessтАЩs back, while the latter hung above her stakes at a neighbouring table. + 

The rooms were packed with the gazing throng which, in the afternoon hours, trickles heavily between the tables, like the Sunday crowd in a lion-house. In the stagnant flow of the mass, identities were hardly distinguishable; but Lily presently saw Mrs.┬аBry cleaving her determined way through the doors, and, in the broad wake she left, the light figure of Mrs.┬аFisher bobbing after her like a rowboat at the stern of a tug. Mrs.┬аBry pressed on, evidently animated by the resolve to reach a certain point in the rooms; but Mrs.┬аFisher, as she passed Lily, broke from her towing-line, and let herself float to the girlтАЩs side. + 

тАЬLose her?тАЭ she echoed the latterтАЩs query, with an indifferent glance at Mrs.┬аBryтАЩs retreating back. тАЬI daresayтБатАФit doesnтАЩt matter: I have lost her already.тАЭ And, as Lily exclaimed, she added: тАЬWe had an awful row this morning. You know, of course, that the Duchess chucked her at dinner last night, and she thinks it was my faultтБатАФmy want of management. The worst of it is, the messageтБатАФjust a mere word by telephoneтБатАФcame so late that the dinner had to be paid for; and B├йcassin had run it upтБатАФit had been so drummed into him that the Duchess was coming!тАЭ Mrs.┬аFisher indulged in a faint laugh at the remembrance. тАЬPaying for what she doesnтАЩt get rankles so dreadfully with Louisa: I canтАЩt make her see that itтАЩs one of the preliminary steps to getting what you havenтАЩt paid forтБатАФand as I was the nearest thing to smash, she smashed me to atoms, poor dear!тАЭ + 

Lily murmured her commiseration. Impulses of sympathy came naturally to her, and it was instinctive to proffer her help to Mrs.┬аFisher. + 

тАЬIf thereтАЩs anything I can doтБатАФif itтАЩs only a question of meeting the Duchess! I heard her say she thought Mr.┬аBry amusingтБатАФтАЭ + 

But Mrs.┬аFisher interposed with a decisive gesture. тАЬMy dear, I have my pride: the pride of my trade. I couldnтАЩt manage the Duchess, and I canтАЩt palm off your arts on Louisa Bry as mine. IтАЩve taken the final step: I go to Paris tonight with the Sam Gormers. TheyтАЩre still in the elementary stage; an Italian Prince is a great deal more than a Prince to them, and theyтАЩre always on the brink of taking a courier for one. To save them from that is my present mission.тАЭ She laughed again at the picture. тАЬBut before I go I want to make my last will and testamentтБатАФI want to leave you the Brys.тАЭ + 

тАЬMe?тАЭ Miss Bart joined in her amusement. тАЬItтАЩs charming of you to remember me, dear; but reallyтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre already so well provided for?тАЭ Mrs.┬аFisher flashed a sharp glance at her. тАЬAre you, though, LilyтБатАФto the point of rejecting my offer?тАЭ + 

Miss Bart coloured slowly. тАЬWhat I really meant was, that the Brys wouldnтАЩt in the least care to be so disposed of.тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аFisher continued to probe her embarrassment with an unflinching eye. тАЬWhat you really meant was that youтАЩve snubbed the Brys horribly; and you know that they knowтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬCarry!тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, on certain sides Louisa bristles with perceptions. If youтАЩd even managed to have them asked once on the SabrinaтБатАФespecially when royalties were coming! But itтАЩs not too late,тАЭ she ended earnestly, тАЬitтАЩs not too late for either of you.тАЭ + 

Lily smiled. тАЬStay over, and IтАЩll get the Duchess to dine with them.тАЭ + 

тАЬI shanтАЩt stay overтБатАФthe Gormers have paid for my salon-lit,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аFisher with simplicity. тАЬBut get the Duchess to dine with them all the same.тАЭ + 

LilyтАЩs smile again flowed into a slight laugh: her friendтАЩs importunity was beginning to strike her as irrelevant. тАЬIтАЩm sorry I have been negligent about the BrysтБатАФтАЭ she began. + 

тАЬOh, as to the BrysтБатАФitтАЩs you IтАЩm thinking of,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аFisher abruptly. She paused, and then, bending forward, with a lowered voice: тАЬYou know we all went on to Nice last night when the Duchess chucked us. It was LouisaтАЩs ideaтБатАФI told her what I thought of it.тАЭ + 

Miss Bart assented. тАЬYesтБатАФI caught sight of you on the way back, at the station.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, the man who was in the carriage with you and George DorsetтБатАФthat horrid little Dabham who does тАШSociety Notes from the RivieraтАЩтБатАФhad been dining with us at Nice. And heтАЩs telling everybody that you and Dorset came back alone after midnight.тАЭ + 

тАЬAloneтБатАФ? When he was with us?тАЭ Lily laughed, but her laugh faded into gravity under the prolonged implication of Mrs.┬аFisherтАЩs look. тАЬWe did come back aloneтБатАФif thatтАЩs so very dreadful! But whose fault was it? The Duchess was spending the night at Cimiez with the Crown Princess; Bertha got bored with the show, and went off early, promising to meet us at the station. We turned up on time, but she didnтАЩtтБатАФshe didnтАЩt turn up at all!тАЭ + 

Miss Bart made this announcement in the tone of one who presents, with careless assurance, a complete vindication; but Mrs.┬аFisher received it in a manner almost inconsequent. She seemed to have lost sight of her friendтАЩs part in the incident: her inward vision had taken another slant. + 

тАЬBertha never turned up at all? Then how on earth did she get back?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, by the next train, I suppose; there were two extra ones for the f├кte. At any rate, I know sheтАЩs safe on the yacht, though I havenтАЩt yet seen her; but you see it was not my fault,тАЭ Lily summed up. + 

тАЬNot your fault that Bertha didnтАЩt turn up? My poor child, if only you donтАЩt have to pay for it!тАЭ Mrs.┬аFisher roseтБатАФshe had seen Mrs.┬аBry surging back in her direction. тАЬThereтАЩs Louisa, and I must be offтБатАФoh, weтАЩre on the best of terms externally; weтАЩre lunching together; but at heart itтАЩs me sheтАЩs lunching on,тАЭ she explained; and with a last handclasp and a last look, she added: тАЬRemember, I leave her to you; sheтАЩs hovering now, ready to take you in.тАЭ + 

Lily carried the impression of Mrs.┬аFisherтАЩs leave-taking away with her from the Casino doors. She had accomplished, before leaving, the first step toward her reinstatement in Mrs.┬аBryтАЩs good graces. An affable advanceтБатАФa vague murmur that they must see more of each otherтБатАФan allusive glance to a near future that was felt to include the Duchess as well as the SabrinaтБатАФhow easily it was all done, if one possessed the knack of doing it! She wondered at herself, as she had so often wondered, that, possessing the knack, she did not more consistently exercise it. But sometimes she was forgetfulтБатАФand sometimes, could it be that she was proud? Today, at any rate, she had been vaguely conscious of a reason for sinking her pride, had in fact even sunk it to the point of suggesting to Lord Hubert Dacey, whom she ran across on the Casino steps, that he might really get the Duchess to dine with the Brys, if she undertook to have them asked on the Sabrina. Lord Hubert had promised his help, with the readiness on which she could always count: it was his only way of ever reminding her that he had once been ready to do so much more for her. Her path, in short, seemed to smooth itself before her as she advanced; yet the faint stir of uneasiness persisted. Had it been produced, she wondered, by her chance meeting with Selden? She thought notтБатАФtime and change seemed so completely to have relegated him to his proper distance. The sudden and exquisite reaction from her anxieties had had the effect of throwing the recent past so far back that even Selden, as part of it, retained a certain air of unreality. And he had made it so clear that they were not to meet again; that he had merely dropped down to Nice for a day or two, and had almost his foot on the next steamer. NoтБатАФthat part of the past had merely surged up for a moment on the fleeing surface of events; and now that it was submerged again, the uncertainty, the apprehension persisted. + 

They grew to sudden acuteness as she caught sight of George Dorset descending the steps of the Hotel de Paris and making for her across the square. She had meant to drive down to the quay and regain the yacht; but she now had the immediate impression that something more was to happen first. + 

тАЬWhich way are you going? Shall we walk a bit?тАЭ he began, putting the second question before the first was answered, and not waiting for a reply to either before he directed her silently toward the comparative seclusion of the lower gardens. + 

She detected in him at once all the signs of extreme nervous tension. The skin was puffed out under his sunken eyes, and its sallowness had paled to a leaden white against which his irregular eyebrows and long reddish moustache were relieved with a saturnine effect. His appearance, in short, presented an odd mixture of the bedraggled and the ferocious. + 

He walked beside her in silence, with quick precipitate steps, till they reached the embowered slopes to the east of the Casino; then, pulling up abruptly, he said: тАЬHave you seen Bertha?тАЭ + 

тАЬNoтБатАФwhen I left the yacht she was not yet up.тАЭ + 

He received this with a laugh like the whirring sound in a disabled clock. тАЬNot yet up? Had she gone to bed? Do you know at what time she came on board? This morning at seven!тАЭ he exclaimed. + 

тАЬAt seven?тАЭ Lily started. тАЬWhat happenedтБатАФan accident to the train?тАЭ + 

He laughed again. тАЬThey missed the trainтБатАФall the trainsтБатАФthey had to drive back.тАЭ + 

тАЬWellтБатАФ?тАЭ She hesitated, feeling at once how little even this necessity accounted for the fatal lapse of hours. + 

тАЬWell, they couldnтАЩt get a carriage at onceтБатАФat that time of night, you knowтБатАФтАЭ the explanatory note made it almost seem as though he were putting the case for his wifeтБатАФтАЬand when they finally did, it was only a one-horse cab, and the horse was lame!тАЭ + 

тАЬHow tiresome! I see,тАЭ she affirmed, with the more earnestness because she was so nervously conscious that she did not; and after a pause she added: тАЬIтАЩm so sorryтБатАФbut ought we to have waited?тАЭ + 

тАЬWaited for the one-horse cab? It would scarcely have carried the four of us, do you think?тАЭ + 

She took this in what seemed the only possible way, with a laugh intended to sink the question itself in his humorous treatment of it. тАЬWell, it would have been difficult; we should have had to walk by turns. But it would have been jolly to see the sunrise.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes: the sunrise was jolly,тАЭ he agreed. + 

тАЬWas it? You saw it, then?тАЭ + 

тАЬI saw it, yes; from the deck. I waited up for them.тАЭ + 

тАЬNaturallyтБатАФI suppose you were worried. Why didnтАЩt you call on me to share your vigil?тАЭ + 

He stood still, dragging at his moustache with a lean weak hand. тАЬI donтАЩt think you would have cared for its denouement,тАЭ he said with sudden grimness. + 

Again she was disconcerted by the abrupt change in his tone, and as in one flash she saw the peril of the moment, and the need of keeping her sense of it out of her eyes. + 

тАЬтАКтАШDenouementтАЩтБатАФisnтАЩt that too big a word for such a small incident? The worst of it, after all, is the fatigue which Bertha has probably slept off by this time.тАЭ + 

She clung to the note bravely, though its futility was now plain to her in the glare of his miserable eyes. + 

тАЬDonтАЩtтБатАФdonтАЩtтБатАФ!тАЭ he broke out, with the hurt cry of a child; and while she tried to merge her sympathy, and her resolve to ignore any cause for it, in one ambiguous murmur of deprecation, he dropped down on the bench near which they had paused, and poured out the wretchedness of his soul. + 

It was a dreadful hourтБатАФan hour from which she emerged shrinking and seared, as though her lids had been scorched by its actual glare. It was not that she had never had premonitory glimpses of such an outbreak; but rather because, here and there throughout the three months, the surface of life had shown such ominous cracks and vapours that her fears had always been on the alert for an upheaval. There had been moments when the situation had presented itself under a homelier yet more vivid imageтБатАФthat of a shaky vehicle, dashed by unbroken steeds over a bumping road, while she cowered within, aware that the harness wanted mending, and wondering what would give way first. WellтБатАФeverything had given way now; and the wonder was that the crazy outfit had held together so long. Her sense of being involved in the crash, instead of merely witnessing it from the road, was intensified by the way in which Dorset, through his furies of denunciation and wild reactions of self-contempt, made her feel the need he had of her, the place she had taken in his life. But for her, what ear would have been open to his cries? And what hand but hers could drag him up again to a footing of sanity and self-respect? All through the stress of the struggle with him, she had been conscious of something faintly maternal in her efforts to guide and uplift him. But for the present, if he clung to her, it was not in order to be dragged up, but to feel someone floundering in the depths with him: he wanted her to suffer with him, not to help him to suffer less. + 

Happily for both, there was little physical strength to sustain his frenzy. It left him, collapsed and breathing heavily, to an apathy so deep and prolonged that Lily almost feared the passersby would think it the result of a seizure, and stop to offer their aid. But Monte Carlo is, of all places, the one where the human bond is least close, and odd sights are the least arresting. If a glance or two lingered on the couple, no intrusive sympathy disturbed them; and it was Lily herself who broke the silence by rising from her seat. With the clearing of her vision the sweep of peril had extended, and she saw that the post of danger was no longer at DorsetтАЩs side. + 

тАЬIf you wonтАЩt go back, I mustтБатАФdonтАЩt make me leave you!тАЭ she urged. + 

But he remained mutely resistant, and she added: тАЬWhat are you going to do? You really canтАЩt sit here all night.тАЭ + 

тАЬI can go to an hotel. I can telegraph my lawyers.тАЭ He sat up, roused by a new thought. тАЬBy Jove, SeldenтАЩs at NiceтБатАФIтАЩll send for Selden!тАЭ + 

Lily, at this, reseated herself with a cry of alarm. тАЬNo, no, no!тАЭ she protested. + 

He swung round on her distrustfully. тАЬWhy not Selden? HeтАЩs a lawyer isnтАЩt he? One will do as well as another in a case like this.тАЭ + 

тАЬAs badly as another, you mean. I thought you relied on me to help you.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou doтБатАФby being so sweet and patient with me. If it hadnтАЩt been for you IтАЩd have ended the thing long ago. But now itтАЩs got to end.тАЭ He rose suddenly, straightening himself with an effort. тАЬYou canтАЩt want to see me ridiculous.тАЭ + 

She looked at him kindly. тАЬThatтАЩs just it.тАЭ Then, after a momentтАЩs pondering, almost to her own surprise she broke out with a flash of inspiration: тАЬWell, go over and see Mr.┬аSelden. YouтАЩll have time to do it before dinner.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, dinnerтБатАФтАЭ he mocked her; but she left him with the smiling rejoinder: тАЬDinner on board, remember; weтАЩll put it off till nine if you like.тАЭ + 

It was past four already; and when a cab had dropped her at the quay, and she stood waiting for the gig to put off for her, she began to wonder what had been happening on the yacht. Of SilvertonтАЩs whereabouts there had been no mention. Had he returned to the Sabrina? Or could BerthaтБатАФthe dread alternative sprang on her suddenlyтБатАФcould Bertha, left to herself, have gone ashore to rejoin him? LilyтАЩs heart stood still at the thought. All her concern had hitherto been for young Silverton, not only because, in such affairs, the womanтАЩs instinct is to side with the man, but because his case made a peculiar appeal to her sympathies. He was so desperately in earnest, poor youth, and his earnestness was of so different a quality from BerthaтАЩs, though hers too was desperate enough. The difference was that Bertha was in earnest only about herself, while he was in earnest about her. But now, at the actual crisis, this difference seemed to throw the weight of destitution on BerthaтАЩs side, since at least he had her to suffer for, and she had only herself. At any rate, viewed less ideally, all the disadvantages of such a situation were for the woman; and it was to Bertha that LilyтАЩs sympathies now went out. She was not fond of Bertha Dorset, but neither was she without a sense of obligation, the heavier for having so little personal liking to sustain it. Bertha had been kind to her, they had lived together, during the last months, on terms of easy friendship, and the sense of friction of which Lily had recently become aware seemed to make it the more urgent that she should work undividedly in her friendтАЩs interest. + 

It was in BerthaтАЩs interest, certainly, that she had despatched Dorset to consult with Lawrence Selden. Once the grotesqueness of the situation accepted, she had seen at a glance that it was the safest in which Dorset could find himself. Who but Selden could thus miraculously combine the skill to save Bertha with the obligation of doing so? The consciousness that much skill would be required made Lily rest thankfully in the greatness of the obligation. Since he would have to pull Bertha through she could trust him to find a way; and she put the fullness of her trust in the telegram she managed to send him on her way to the quay. + 

Thus far, then, Lily felt that she had done well; and the conviction strengthened her for the task that remained. She and Bertha had never been on confidential terms, but at such a crisis the barriers of reserve must surely fall: DorsetтАЩs wild allusions to the scene of the morning made Lily feel that they were down already, and that any attempt to rebuild them would be beyond BerthaтАЩs strength. She pictured the poor creature shivering behind her fallen defences and awaiting with suspense the moment when she could take refuge in the first shelter that offered. If only that shelter had not already offered itself elsewhere! As the gig traversed the short distance between the quay and the yacht, Lily grew more than ever alarmed at the possible consequences of her long absence. What if the wretched Bertha, finding in all the long hours no soul to turn toтБатАФbut by this time LilyтАЩs eager foot was on the side-ladder, and her first step on the Sabrina showed the worst of her apprehensions to be unfounded; for there, in the luxurious shade of the afterdeck, the wretched Bertha, in full command of her usual attenuated elegance, sat dispensing tea to the Duchess of Beltshire and Lord Hubert. + 

The sight filled Lily with such surprise that she felt that Bertha, at least, must read its meaning in her look, and she was proportionately disconcerted by the blankness of the look returned. But in an instant she saw that Mrs.┬аDorset had, of necessity, to look blank before the others, and that, to mitigate the effect of her own surprise, she must at once produce some simple reason for it. The long habit of rapid transitions made it easy for her to exclaim to the Duchess: тАЬWhy, I thought youтАЩd gone back to the Princess!тАЭ and this sufficed for the lady she addressed, if it was hardly enough for Lord Hubert. + 

At least it opened the way to a lively explanation of how the Duchess was, in fact, going back the next moment, but had first rushed out to the yacht for a word with Mrs.┬аDorset on the subject of tomorrowтАЩs dinnerтБатАФthe dinner with the Brys, to which Lord Hubert had finally insisted on dragging them. + 

тАЬTo save my neck, you know!тАЭ he explained, with a glance that appealed to Lily for some recognition of his promptness; and the Duchess added, with her noble candour: тАЬMr.┬аBry has promised him a tip, and he says if we go heтАЩll pass it onto us.тАЭ + 

This led to some final pleasantries, in which, as it seemed to Lily, Mrs.┬аDorset bore her part with astounding bravery, and at the close of which Lord Hubert, from halfway down the side-ladder, called back, with an air of numbering heads: тАЬAnd of course we may count on Dorset too?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, count on him,тАЭ his wife assented gaily. She was keeping up well to the lastтБатАФbut as she turned back from waving her adieux over the side, Lily said to herself that the mask must drop and the soul of fear look out. + 

Mrs.┬аDorset turned back slowly; perhaps she wanted time to steady her muscles; at any rate, they were still under perfect control when, dropping once more into her seat behind the tea-table, she remarked to Miss Bart with a faint touch of irony: тАЬI suppose I ought to say good morning.тАЭ + 

If it was a cue, Lily was ready to take it, though with only the vaguest sense of what was expected of her in return. There was something unnerving in the contemplation of Mrs.┬аDorsetтАЩs composure, and she had to force the light tone in which she answered: тАЬI tried to see you this morning, but you were not yet up.тАЭ + 

тАЬNoтБатАФI got to bed late. After we missed you at the station I thought we ought to wait for you till the last train.тАЭ She spoke very gently, but with just the least tinge of reproach. + 

тАЬYou missed us? You waited for us at the station?тАЭ Now indeed Lily was too far adrift in bewilderment to measure the otherтАЩs words or keep watch on her own. тАЬBut I thought you didnтАЩt get to the station till after the last train had left!тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аDorset, examining her between lowered lids, met this with the immediate query: тАЬWho told you that?тАЭ + 

тАЬGeorgeтБатАФI saw him just now in the gardens.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh, is that GeorgeтАЩs version? Poor GeorgeтБатАФhe was in no state to remember what I told him. He had one of his worst attacks this morning, and I packed him off to see the doctor. Do you know if he found him?тАЭ + 

Lily, still lost in conjecture, made no reply, and Mrs.┬аDorset settled herself indolently in her seat. тАЬHeтАЩll wait to see him; he was horribly frightened about himself. ItтАЩs very bad for him to be worried, and whenever anything upsetting happens, it always brings on an attack.тАЭ + 

This time Lily felt sure that a cue was being pressed on her; but it was put forth with such startling suddenness, and with so incredible an air of ignoring what it led up to, that she could only falter out doubtfully: тАЬAnything upsetting?тАЭ + 

тАЬYesтБатАФsuch as having you so conspicuously on his hands in the small hours. You know, my dear, youтАЩre rather a big responsibility in such a scandalous place after midnight.тАЭ + 

At thatтБатАФat the complete unexpectedness and the inconceivable audacity of itтБатАФLily could not restrain the tribute of an astonished laugh. + 

тАЬWell, reallyтБатАФconsidering it was you who burdened him with the responsibility!тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аDorset took this with an exquisite mildness. тАЬBy not having the superhuman cleverness to discover you in that frightful rush for the train? Or the imagination to believe that youтАЩd take it without usтБатАФyou and he all aloneтБатАФinstead of waiting quietly in the station till we did manage to meet you?тАЭ + 

LilyтАЩs colour rose: it was growing clear to her that Bertha was pursuing an object, following a line she had marked out for herself. Only, with such a doom impending, why waste time in these childish efforts to avert it? The puerility of the attempt disarmed LilyтАЩs indignation: did it not prove how horribly the poor creature was frightened? + 

тАЬNo; by our simply all keeping together at Nice,тАЭ she returned. + 

тАЬKeeping together? When it was you who seized the first opportunity to rush off with the Duchess and her friends? My dear Lily, you are not a child to be led by the hand!тАЭ + 

тАЬNoтБатАФnor to be lectured, Bertha, really; if thatтАЩs what you are doing to me now.тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аDorset smiled on her reproachfully. тАЬLecture youтБатАФI? Heaven forbid! I was merely trying to give you a friendly hint. But itтАЩs usually the other way round, isnтАЩt it? IтАЩm expected to take hints, not to give them: IтАЩve positively lived on them all these last months.тАЭ + 

тАЬHintsтБатАФfrom me to you?тАЭ Lily repeated. + 

тАЬOh, negative ones merelyтБатАФwhat not to be and to do and to see. And I think IтАЩve taken them to admiration. Only, my dear, if youтАЩll let me say so, I didnтАЩt understand that one of my negative duties was not to warn you when you carried your imprudence too far.тАЭ + 

A chill of fear passed over Miss Bart: a sense of remembered treachery that was like the gleam of a knife in the dusk. But compassion, in a moment, got the better of her instinctive recoil. What was this outpouring of senseless bitterness but the tracked creatureтАЩs attempt to cloud the medium through which it was fleeing? It was on LilyтАЩs lips to exclaim: тАЬYou poor soul, donтАЩt double and turnтБатАФcome straight back to me, and weтАЩll find a way out!тАЭ But the words died under the impenetrable insolence of BerthaтАЩs smile. Lily sat silent, taking the brunt of it quietly, letting it spend itself on her to the last drop of its accumulated falseness; then, without a word, she rose and went down to her cabin. + 