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"Oh, how could I do that?" she asked. "I can't marry him. And if I do
what I've never done before for any man--become his mistress--who need
know? I could stay in the background."
"You seem to forget, dear lady," said I, "that Captain Vauvenarde is
probably alive."
"But I tell you I've lost sight of him altogether."
"Are you quite so sure," I asked, regaining my sanity by degrees, "that
Captain Vauvenarde has lost sight of you?"
She turned quickly. "What do you mean?"
"You have given him no chance as yet of recovering his freedom."
She passed her hand over her face, and sat down on the sofa. "Do you
mean--divorce?"
"It's an ugly word, dear Madame Brandt," said I, as gently as I could,
"but you and I are strong people and needn't fear uttering it. Don't
you think such a scandal would ruin Dale at the very beginning of his
career?"
There was a short silence. I was glad to see she was feminine enough to
twist and tear her handkerchief.
"What am I to do?" she asked at last. "I can't live this awful lonely
life much longer.


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