”WillyoukindlyseethatMrs。Heronhasthisnote?””MadameHeronleftto-day，Monsieur——suddenly，aboutthreeo’clock。Therewasillnessinherfamily。”
Soamescompressedhislips。”Oh！”hesaid；”doyouknowheraddress?””Non，Monsieur。England，Ithink。”
Soamesputthenotebackintohispocketandwentout。Hehailedanopenhorse-cabwhichwaspassing。”Drivemeanywhere！”
Theman，who，obviously，didnotunderstand，smiled，andwavedhiswhip。AndSoameswasbornealonginthatlittleyellow-wheeledVictoriaalloverstar-shapedParis，withhereandthereapause，andthequestion，”C’estparici，Monsieur?””No，goon，”tillthemangaveitupindespair，andtheyellow-wheeledchariotcontinuedtorollbetweenthetall，flat-frontedshutteredhousesandplane-
treeavenues——alittleFlyingDutchmanofacab。
’Likemylife，’thoughtSoames，’withoutobject，onandon！’
CHAPTERII
INTHEWEB
SoamesreturnedtoEnglandthefollowingday，andonthethirdmorningreceivedavisitfromMr。Polteed，whoworeaflowerandcarriedabrownbillycockhat。Soamesmotionedhimtoaseat。”Thenewsfromthewarisnotsobad，isit?”saidMr。Polteed。”I
hopeIseeyouwell，sir。””Thanks！quite。”
Mr。Polteedleanedforward，smiled，openedhishand，lookedintoit，andsaidsoftly：”Ithinkwe’vedoneyourbusinessforyouatlast。””What?”ejaculatedSoames。”NineteenreportsquitesuddenlywhatIthinkweshallbejustifiedincallingconclusiveevidence，”andMr。Polteedpaused。”Well?””Onthe10thinstant，afterwitnessinganinterviewbetween17andaparty，earlierintheday，19cansweartohavingseenhimcomingoutofherbedroominthehotelaboutteno’clockintheevening。
Withalittlecareinthegivingoftheevidencethatwillbeenough，especiallyas17hasleftParis——nodoubtwiththepartyinquestion。Infact，theybothslippedoff，andwehaven’tgotontothemagain，yet；butweshall——weshall。She’sworkedhardunderverydifficultcircumstances，andI’mgladshe’sbroughtitoffatlast。”Mr。Polteedtookoutacigarette，tappeditsendagainstthetable，lookedatSoames，andputitback。Theexpressiononhisclient’sfacewasnotencouraging。”Whoisthisnewperson?”saidSoamesabruptly。”Thatwedon’tknow。She’llsweartothefact，andshe’sgothisappearancepat。”
Mr。Polteedtookoutaletter，andbeganreading：”’Middle-aged，mediumheight，bluedittoesinafternoon，eveningdressatnight，pale，darkhair，smalldarkmoustache，flatcheeks，goodchin，greyeyes，smallfeet，guiltylook……’”
Soamesroseandwenttothewindow。Hestoodthereinsardonicfury。Congenitalidiot——spiderycongenitalidiot！Sevenmonthsatfifteenpoundsaweek——tobetrackeddownashisownwife’slover！
Guiltylook！Hethrewthewindowopen。”It’shot，”hesaid，andcamebacktohisseat：
Crossinghisknees，hebentasuperciliousglanceonMr。Polteed。”Idoubtifthat’squitegoodenough，”hesaid，drawlingthewords，”withnonameoraddress。Ithinkyoumayletthatladyhavearest，andtakeupourfriend47atthisend。”WhetherPolteedhadspottedhimhecouldnottell；buthehadamentalvisionofhiminthemidstofhiscroniesdissolvedininextinguishablelaughter。
’Guiltylook！’Damnation！
Mr。Polteedsaidinatoneofurgency，almostofpathos：”Iassureyouwehaveputitthroughsometimesonlessthanthat。It’sParis，youknow。Attractivewomanlivingalone。Whynotriskit，sir?Wemightscrewitupapeg。”
Soameshadsuddeninsight。Thefellow’sprofessionalzealwasstirred：’Greatesttriumphofmycareer；gotamanhisdivorcethroughavisittohisownwife’sbedroom！Somethingtotalkofthere，whenIretire！’Andforonewildmomenthethought：’Whynot?’Afterall，hundredsofmenofmediumheighthadsmallfeetandaguiltylook！”I’mnotauthorisedtotakeanyrisk！”hesaidshortly。
Mr。Polteedlookedup。”Pity，”hesaid，”quiteapity！Thatotheraffairseemedverycostive。”
Soamesrose。”Nevermindthat。Pleasewatch47，andtakecarenottofindamare’snest。Good-morning！”
Mr。Polteed’seyeglintedatthewords’mare’snest！’”Verygood。Youshallbekeptinformed。”
AndSoameswasaloneagain。Thespidery，dirty，ridiculousbusiness！Layinghisarmsonthetable，heleanedhisforeheadonthem。Fulltenminutesherestedthus，tillamanagingclerkrousedhimwiththedraftprospectusofanewissueofshares，verydesirable，inManifoldandTopping’s。ThatafternoonheleftworkearlyandmadehiswaytotheRestaurantBretagne。OnlyMadameLamottewasin。WouldMonsieurhaveteawithher?
Soamesbowed。
Whentheywereseatedatrightanglestoeachotherinthelittleroom，hesaidabruptly”Iwantatalkwithyou，Madame。”
Thequickliftofherclearbrowneyestoldhimthatshehadlongexpectedsuchwords。”Ihavetoaskyousomethingfirst：Thatyoungdoctor——what’shisname?IsthereanythingbetweenhimandAnnette?”
Herwholepersonalityhadbecome，asitwere，likejet——clear-cut，black，hard，shining。”Annetteisyoung，”shesaid；”soismonsieurledocteur。Betweenyoungpeoplethingsmovequickly；butAnnetteisagooddaughter。
Ah！whatajewelofanature！”
TheleastlittlesmiletwistedSoames’lips。”Nothingdefinite，then?””Butdefinite——no，indeed！Theyoungmanisvereenice，but——whatwouldyou?Thereisnomoneyatpresent。”
Sheraisedherwillow-patternedtea-cup；Soamesdidthesame。
Theireyesmet。”Iamamarriedman，”hesaid，”livingapartfrommywifeformanyyears。Iamseekingtodivorceher。”
MadameLamotteputdownhercup。Indeed！Whattragicthingstherewere！TheentireabsenceofsentimentinherinspiredaqueerspeciesofcontemptinSoames。”Iamarichman，”headded，fullyconsciousthattheremarkwasnotingoodtaste。”Itisuselesstosaymoreatpresent，butI
thinkyouunderstand。”
Madame’seyes，soopenthatthewhitesshowedabovethem，lookedathimverystraight。”Ah！ca——maisnousavonsletemps！”wasallshesaid。”Anotherlittlecup?”Soamesrefused，and，takinghisleave，walkedwestward。
Hehadgotthatoffhismind；shewouldnotletAnnettecommitherselfwiththatcheerfulyoungassuntil……！Butwhatchanceofhiseverbeingabletosay：’I’mfree。’Whatchance?Thefuturehadlostallsemblanceofreality。Hefeltlikeafly，entangledincobwebfilaments，watchingthedesirablefreedomoftheairwithpitifuleyes。
Hewasshortofexercise，andwanderedontoKensingtonGardens，anddownQueen’sGatetowardsChelsea。Perhapsshehadgonebacktoherflat。Thatatalleventshecouldfindout。Forsincethatlastandmostignominiousrepulsehiswoundedself-respecthadtakenrefugeagaininthefeelingthatshemusthavealover。HearrivedbeforethelittleMansionsatthedinner-hour。Noneedtoenquire！Agrey-hairedladywaswateringtheflower-boxesinherwindow。Itwasevidentlylet。Andhewalkedslowlypastagain，alongtheriver——aneveningofclear，quietbeauty，allharmonyandcomfort，exceptwithinhisheart。
CHAPTERIII
RICHMONDPARK
OntheafternoonthatSoamescrossedtoFranceacablegramwasreceivedbyJolyonatRobinHill：”Yoursondownwithentericnoimmediatedangerwillcableagain。”
ItreachedahouseholdalreadyagitatedbytheimminentdepartureofJune，whoseberthwasbookedforthefollowingday。Shewas，indeed，intheactofconfidingEricCobbleyandhisfamilytoherfather’scarewhenthemessagearrived。