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After he had been in London a month he wrote less and was more
frequently abroad； sallying forth in beautiful raiment； and
coming home by daylight。
And he gave suppers too； but they were less noisy than the
Captain's had been； and the women who came to them were much more
beautiful； and their voices when they spoke were sweet and low。
Sometimes one of the women sang； and the men sat in silence while
the people in the street below stopped to listen； and would say；
〃Why； that is So…and…So singing；〃 and the Lion and the Unicorn
wondered how they could know who it was when they could not see
her。
The lodger's visitors came to see him at all hours。 They
seemed to regard his rooms as a club； where they could always
come for a bite to eat or to write notes； and others treated it
like a lawyer's office and asked advice on all manner of strange
subjects。 Sometimes the visitor wanted to know whether the
American thought she ought to take L？0 a week and go on tour； or
stay in town and try to live on L？； or whether she should paint
landscapes that would not sell； or racehorses that would； or
whether Reggie really loved her and whether she really loved
Reggie； or whether the new part in the piece at the Court was
better than the old part at Terry's； and wasn't she getting too
old to play 〃ingenues〃 anyway。
The lodger seemed to be a general adviser； and smoked and
listened with grave consideration； and the Unicorn thought his
judgment was most sympathetic and sensible。
Of all the beautiful ladies who came to call on the lodger the
one the Unicorn liked the best was the one who wanted to know
whether she loved Reggie and whether Reggie loved her。 She
discussed this so interestingly while she consumed tea and
thin slices of bread that the Unicorn almost lost his balance in
leaning forward to listen。 Her name was Marion Cavendish and it
was written over many photographs which stood in silver frames in
the lodger's rooms。 She used to make the tea herself； while the
lodger sat and smoked； and she had a fascinating way of doubling
the thin slices of bread into long strips and nibbling at them
like a mouse at a piece of cheese。 She had wonderful little
teeth and Cupid's…bow lips； and she had a fashion of lifting her
veil only high enough for one to see the two Cupid…bow lips。
When she did that the American used to laugh； at nothing
apparently； and say； 〃Oh； I guess Reggie loves you well enough。〃
〃But do I love Reggie？〃 she would ask sadly； with her tea…cup
held poised in air。
〃 I am sure I hope not；〃 the lodger would reply； and she
would put down the veil quickly； as one would drop a curtain over
a beautiful picture； and rise with great dignity and say； 〃if you
talk like that I shall not come again。〃
She was sure that if she could only get some work to do her
head would be filledwith more important matters than whether
Reggie loved her or not。
〃But the managers seem inclined to cut their cavendish very fine
just at present；〃 she said。 〃If I don't get a part soon；〃 she
announced； 〃I shall ask Mitchell to put me down on the list for
recitations at evening parties。〃
〃That seems a desperate revenge；〃 said the American； 〃and
besides； I don't want you to get a part； because some one might
be idiotic enough to take my comedy； and if he should； you must
play Nancy。〃
〃I would not ask for any salary if I could play Nancy；〃 Miss
Cavendish answered。
They spoke of a great many things； but their talk always ended by
her saying that there must be some one with sufficient sense to
see that his play was a great play； and by his saying that none
but she must play Nancy。
The Lion preferred the tall girl with masses and folds of brown
hair； who came from America to paint miniatures of the British
aristocracy。 Her name was Helen Cabot； and he liked her because
she was so brave and fearless； and so determined to be
independent of every one； even of the lodgerespecially of
the lodger； who it appeared had known her very well at home。 The
lodger； they gathered； did not wish her to be independent of him
and the two Americans had many arguments and disputes about it；
but she always said； 〃It does no good； Philip； it only hurts us
both when you talk so。 I care for nothing； and for no one but my
art； and； poor as it is； it means everything to me； and you do
not； and； of course； the man I am to marry； must。〃 Then Carroll
would talk； walking up and down； and looking very fierce and
determined； and telling her how he loved her in such a way that
it made her look even more proud and beautiful。 And she would
say more gently； 〃It is very fine to think that any one can care
for like that； and very helpful。 But unless I cared in the same
way it would be wicked of me to marry you； and besides〃 She
would add very quickly to prevent his speaking again〃 I don't
want to marry you or anybody； and I never shall。 I want to be
free and to succeed in my work； just as you want to succeed in
your work。 So please never speak of this again。〃 When she
went away the lodger used to sit smoking in the big arm…chair and
beat the arms with his hands； and he would pace up and down the
room while his work would lie untouched and his engagements pass
forgotten。
Summer came and London was deserted； dull； and dusty； but the
lodger stayed on in Jermyn Street。 Helen Cabot had departed on a
round of visits to country houses in Scotland； where； as she
wrote him； she was painting miniatures of her hosts and studying
the game of golf。 Miss Cavendish divided her days between the
river and one of the West End theatres。 She was playing a small
part in a farce…comedy。
One day she came up from Cookham earlier than usual； looking very
beautiful in a white boating frock and a straw hat with a Leander
ribbon。 Her hands and arms were hard with dragging a punting
pole and she was sunburnt and happy； and hungry for tea。
〃Why don't you come down to Cookham and get out of this heat？〃
Miss Cavendish asked。 〃You need it； you look ill。〃
〃I'd like to； but I can't；〃 said Carroll。 〃The fact is； I paid
in advance for these rooms； and if I lived anywhere else I'd be
losing five guineas a week on them。〃
Miss Cavendish regarded him severely。 She had never quite
mastered his American humor。
〃But five guineaswhy that's nothing to you；〃 she said。
Something in the lodger's face made her pause。 〃You don't
mean〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said the lodger； smiling。 〃You see； I started in to
lay siege to London without sufficient ammunition。 London is a
large town； and it didn't fall as quickly as I thought it would。
So I am economizing。 Mr。 Lockhart's Coffee Rooms and I are no
longer strangers。〃
Miss Cavendish put down her cup of tea untasted and leaned toward
him
〃Are you in earnest？〃 she asked。 〃For how long？〃
〃Oh； for the last month；〃 replied the lodger； 〃they are not at
all badclean and wholesome and all that。〃
〃But the suppers you gave us； and this；〃 she cried； suddenly；
waving her hands over the pretty tea…things； 〃and the cake
and muffins？〃
〃My friends； at least；〃 said Carroll； 〃need not go to
Lockhart's。〃
〃And the Savoy？〃 asked Miss Cavendish； mournfully shaking her
head。
〃A dream of the past；〃 said Carroll； waving his pipe through the
smoke。 〃Gatti's？ Yes； on special occasions； but for necessity；
the Chancellor's； where one gets a piece of the prime roast beef
of Old England； from Chicago； and potatoes for ninepencea pot
of bitter twopence…halfpenny； and a penny for the waiter。 It's
most amusing on the whole。 I am learning a little about London；
and some things about myself。 They are both most interesting
subjects。〃
〃Well； I don't like it；〃 Miss Cavendish declared helplessly。
〃When I think of those suppers and the flowers； I feelI feel
like a robber。〃
〃Don't；〃 begged Carroll。 〃I am really the most happy of men
that is； as the chap says in the play； I would be if I wasn't so
damned miserable。 But I owe no man a penny and I have assetsI
have L？0 to last me through the winter and two marvellous
plays； and I love； next to yourself； the most wonderful woman God
ever made。 That's enough。〃
〃But I thought you made such a lot of money by writing？〃 asked
Miss Cavendish。
〃I dothat is； I could；〃 answered Carroll； 〃if I wrote the
things that sell； but I keep on writing plays that won't。〃
〃And such plays！〃 exclaimed Marion； warmly； 〃and to think that
they are going begging。〃 She continued indignantly； 〃I can't
imagine what the managers do want。〃
〃I know what they don't want；〃 said the American。 Miss Cavendish
drummed impatiently on the tea…tray。
〃I wish you wouldn't be so abject about it；〃 she said。 〃If I
were a man I'd make them take those plays。〃
〃How？〃 asked the American； 〃with a gun？〃
〃Well； I'd keep at it until they read them；〃 declared Marion。
〃I'd sit on their front steps all night and I'd follow them in
cabs； and I'd lie in wait for them at the stage…door。 I'd just
make them take them。〃
Carroll sighed and stared at the ceiling。 〃I guess I'll give up
and go home；〃 he said。
〃Oh； yes； do； run away before you are beaten；〃 said Miss
Cavendish； scornfully。 〃Why； you can't go