"That's what I like--our quiet talks," she went on. "But you've only to say the word, and we'll have company for you." Her tone was light, playful, chaffing. He answered in the same vein. "I'll send my orders about that at least twelve hours beforehand." "Thank you, my lord," and, laughing, she dropped him a curtsey. He left them still at their frolic and went home rather early. He had enjoyed himself, but, all the same, his dominant sense was one of relief, and not merely from the obligation which officious hands had sought to thrust on him, regardless of the fact that he was not ready to accept it and might never be. It was relief from the sense of something that he himself had been doing, or been in danger of doing, to his own life--a thing which he vaguely defined as a premature and ignorant disposal of that priceless asset. Together with the youthful vanity which this feeling about his life embodied, there came to him also a moment of clear-sightedness, in the light of which he perceived the narrow limits of his knowledge of the world, of life, even of himself. He saw--the word is too strong, rather he felt somehow--that he had never really wanted Marie Sarradet to share, much less to be the greatest factor in, that precious, still unexplored life; he had really only wanted to talk to her about it, with her to speculate about it, to hear from her how interesting it was and might become. He wanted that still from her. Or at all events from somebody? From her or another? He put that question behind him--it was too sceptical. He wanted still her interest, her sympathy. But he wanted something else even more--freedom to find, to explore, to fulfil his life. So it was that Mr. Arthur Lisle, by a fortunate combination of circumstances on which he certainly had no right to reckon, found out, just in time, that after all he had never been in love--unless indeed with his own comely image, flatteringly reflected in a girl's admiring eyes. Poor tender diplomatist! But possibly she too might make her own discoveries. CHAPTER VII ALL OF A FLUTTER "Bernadette's got a new toy, Esther." "I know it," said Mrs. Norton Ward, handing her visitor a cup of tea. "Do you mean that you know the fact or that you're acquainted with the individual?" "The latter, Judith. In fact I sent him to her." "Well, it was she who went to him really, though Godfrey made some trouble about it. He thought the young man ought to have called first. However they got round him." "They? Who?" "Why, Bernadette and Oliver Wyse, of course. And he came to lunch. But Godfrey was quite on his high horse at first--stroked his beard, and dangled his eye-glass, and looked the other way when he was spoken to--you know the poor old dear when he's like that? Luckily the young man could tell Leeds from Wedgwood, and that went a long way towards putting matters right. Godfrey quite warmed to him at last."