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"
"Anastasius?" She bent forward and looked at me. "What is he doing
here?"
"Heaven knows!" said I. "But what he has done has been to find Captain
Vauvenarde. I am glad he has done that, but I am deeply sorry he sent
you the telegram."
"Sorry? Why?"
"Because there was no reason for your coming," I said with unwonted
gravity. "It would have been better if you had stayed in London, and it
will be best if you take the boat back again to-morrow."
She remained silent for a while. Then she said in a low voice:
"He won't have me?"
"He hasn't been asked," I said. "He will, as far as I can command the
situation, never be asked."
On that I had fully determined; and, when she inquired the reason, I
told her.
"I proposed that you should reunite yourself with an honourable though
somewhat misguided gentleman. I've had the reverse of pleasure in
meeting Captain Vauvenarde, and I regret to say, though he is still
misguided, he can scarcely be termed honourable. The term 'gentleman'
has still to be accurately defined.


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