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held a letter out。 〃Your uncle is not coming back tonight。〃
Christian took the letter。 It was curtly worded； in a thin； toppling
hand：
〃DEAR CONCan't get back to…night。 Sending Dominique for things。
Tell Christian to come over with him for night if possible。Yr。
aff。 brother； NICLS。 TREFFRY。〃
〃Dominique has a carriage here；〃 said Mrs。 Decie。 〃You will have
nice time to catch the train。 Give my love to your uncle。 You must
take Barbi with you； I insist on that。〃 She rose from her chair and
held Christian's hand： 〃My dear！ You look very tiredvery！ Almost
ill。 I don't like to see you look like that。 Come！〃 She thrust her
pale lips forward； and kissed the girl's paler cheek。
Then as Christian left the room she sank back in her chair； with
creases in her forehead； and began languidly to cut a magazine。
'Poor Christian！' she thought； 'how hardly she does take it！ I am
sorry for her； but perhaps it's just as well； as things are turning
out。 Psychologically it is interesting！'
Christian found her things packed； and the two servants waiting。 In
a few minutes they were driving to the station。 She made Dominique
take the seat opposite。
〃Well？〃 she asked him。
Dominique's eyebrows twitched； he smiled deprecatingly。
〃M'mselle； Mr。 Treffry told me to hold my tongue。〃
〃But you can tell me； Dominique； Barbi can't understand。〃
〃To you； then； M'mselle；〃 said Dominique； as one who accepts his
fate； 〃to you； then； who will doubtless forget all that I shall tell
youmy master is not well； he has terrible pain here； he has a
cough； he is not well at all； not well at all。〃
A feeling of dismay seized on the girl。
〃We were a caravan for all that night；〃 Dominique resumed。 〃In the
morning by noon we ceased to be a caravan； Signor Harz took a mule
path； he will be in Italycertainly in Italy。 As for us； we stayed
at San Martino； and my master went to bed。 It was time； I had much
trouble with his clothes； his legs were swollen。 In the afternoon
came a signor of police； on horseback； red and hot； I persuaded him
that we were at Paneveggio； but as we were not； he came back angry
Mon Die！ as angry as a cat。 It was not good to meet himwhen he was
with my master I was outside。 There was much noise。 I do not know
what passed； but at last the signor came out through the door； and
went away in a hurry。〃 Dominique's features were fixed in a sardonic
grin； he rubbed the palm of one hand with the finger of the other。
〃Mr。 Treffry made me give him whisky afterwards； and he had no money
to pay the billthat I know because I paid it。 Well； M'mselle； to…
day he would be dressed and very slowly we came as far as Auer； there
he could do no more； so went to bed。 He is not well at all。〃
Christian was overwhelmed by forebodings； the rest of the journey was
made in silence； except when Barbi； a country girl； filled with the
delirium of railway travel； sighed： 〃Ach！ gnadige Friiulein！〃 looking
at Christian with pleasant eyes。
At once； on arriving at the little hostel； Christian went to see her
uncle。 His room was darkened； and smelt of beeswax。
〃Ah！ Chris；〃 he said； 〃glad to see you。〃
In a blue flannel gown； with a rug over his feet； he was lying on a
couch lengthened artificially by chairs； the arm he reached out
issued many inches from its sleeve； and showed the corded veins of
the wrist。 Christian； settling his pillows； looked anxiously into
his eyes。
〃I'm not quite the thing； Chris；〃 said Mr。 Treffry。 〃Somehow； not
quite the thing。 I'll come back with you to…morrow。〃
〃Let me send for Dr。 Dawney； Uncle？〃
〃Nono！ Plenty of him when I get home。 Very good young fellow； as
doctors go； but I can't stand his puddin'sslops and puddin's； and
all that trumpery medicine on the top。 Send me Dominique； my dear
I'll put myself to rights a bit！〃 He fingered his unshaven cheek；
and clutched the gown together on his chest。 〃Got this from the
landlord。 When you come back we'll have a little talk！〃
He was asleep when she came into the room an hour later。 Watching
his uneasy breathing； she wondered what it was that he was going to
say。
He looked ill！ And suddenly she realised that her thoughts were not
of him。。。。 When she was little he would take her on his back； he had
built cocked hats for her and paper boats； had taught her to ride；
slid her between his knees； given her things without number； and
taken his payment in kisses。 And now he was ill； and she was not
thinking of him！ He had been all that was most dear to her； yet
before her eyes would only come the vision of another。
Mr。 Treffry woke suddenly。 〃Not been asleep； have I？ The beds here
are infernal hard。〃
〃Uncle Nic； won't you give me news of him？〃
Mr。 Treffry looked at her； and Christian could not bear that look。
〃He's safe into Italy； they aren't very keen after him； it's so long
ago； I squared 'em pretty easily。 Now； look here； Chris！〃
Christian came close； he took her hand。
〃I'd like to see you pull yourself together。 'Tisn't so much the
position； 'tisn't so much the money； because after all there's always
mine〃 Christian shook her head。 〃But；〃 he went on with shaky
emphasis； 〃there's the difference of blood； and that's a serious
thing； and there's this anarchthis political affair； and there's
the sort of life； an' that's a serious thing； butwhat I'm coming to
is this； Christhere's the man！〃
Christian drew away her hand。 Mr。 Treffry went on：
〃Ah！ yes。 I'm an old chap and fond of you； but I must speak out what
I think。 He's got pluck； he's strong； he's in earnest； but he's got
a damned hot temper； he's an egotist； andhe's not the man for you。
If you marry him； as sure as I lie here； you'll be sorry for it。
You're not your father's child for nothing； nice fellow as ever
lived； but soft as butter。 If you take this chap； it'll be like
mixing earth and ironstone； and they don't blend！〃 He dropped his
head back on the pillows； and stretching out his hand； repeated
wistfully： 〃Take my word for it； my dear； he's not the man for you。〃
Christian； staring at the wall beyond； said quietly： 〃I can't take
any one's word for that。〃
〃Ah！〃 muttered Mr。 Treffry； 〃you're obstinate enough； but obstinacy
isn't strength。
You'll give up everything to him； you'll lick his shoes； and you'll
never play anything but second fiddle in his life。 He'll always be
first with himself； he and his work； or whatever he calls painting
pictures； and some day you'll find that out。 You won't like it； and
I don't like it for you； Chris； and that's flat。〃
He wiped his brow where the perspiration stood in beads。
Christian said： 〃You don't understand； you don't believe in him； you
don't see！ If I do come after his workif I do give him everything；
and he can't give all backI don't care！ He'll give what he can； I
don't want any more。 If you're afraid of the life for me； uncle； if
you think it'll be too hard〃
Mr。 Treffry bowed his head。 〃I do； Chris。〃
〃Well； then； I hate to be wrapped in cotton wool； I want to breathe。
If I come to grief； it's my own affair； nobody need mind。〃
Mr。 Treffry's fngers sought his beard。 〃Ah！ yes。 Just so！〃
Christian sank on her knees。
〃Oh！ Uncle！ I'm a selfish beast！〃
Mr。 Treffry laid his hand against her cheek。 〃I think I could do
with a nap；〃 he said。
Swallowing a lump in her throat； she stole out of the room。
By a stroke of Fate Mr。 Treffry's return to Villa Rubein befell at
the psychological moment when Herr Paul； in a suit of rather too
bright blue； was starting for Vienna。
As soon as he saw the carriage appear between the poplars he became
as pensive as a boy caught in the act of stealing cherries。 Pitching
his hatbox to Fritz； he recovered himself； however； in time to
whistle while Mr。 Treffry was being assisted into the house。 Having
forgotten his anger； he was only anxious now to smooth out its after
effects； in the glances he cast at Christian and his brother…in…law
there was a kind of shamed entreaty which seemed to say： 〃For
goodness' sake； don't worry me about that business again！ Nothing's
come of it； you see！〃
He came forward： 〃Ah！ Mon cher！ So you return； I put off my
departure； then。 Vienna must wait for methat poor Vienna！〃
But noticing the extreme feebleness of Mr。 Treffry's advance； he
exclaimed with genuine concern：
〃What is it？ You're ill？ My God！〃 After disappearing for five
minutes； he came back with a whitish liquid in a glass。
〃There！〃 he said； 〃good for the goutfor a coughfor everything！〃
Mr。 Treffry sniffed； drained the glass； and sucked his moustache。
〃Ah！〃 he said。 〃No doubt！ But it's uncommonly like gin； Paul。〃
Then turning to Christian； he said： 〃Shake hands； you two！〃
Christian looked from one to the other； and at last held out he