"Never mind what they are. I stand by them! I'm ready to give them what they ask." "Ready to hand the Empire over to them--to smash like the windows in Piccadilly?" said Blaydes. "Hang the Empire!--what does the Empire matter! Give the people in these islands what they _want_ before you begin to talk about the Empire. Well, good-bye, I must be off!" He nodded to the other two, and opened the door of the Hermitage which led directly into the outer air. On the threshold he turned and looked back, irresolutely, as though in compunction for his loss of temper. Framed in the doorway against a background of sunset sky, his dark head and sparely-noble features were of a singular though melancholy beauty. It was evident that he was full of speech, of which he could not in the end unburden himself. The door closed behind him, and he was gone. "Poor devil!" said Blaydes, tipping the end of his cigarette into the fire-"he's in love with a girl who's been in prison three times. He thinks she'll kill herself--and he can't influence her at all. He takes it hard. Well, now look here"--the young man's expression changed and stiffened--"I understand that you too are seeing a good deal of one of these wild women--and that she's both rich--and a beauty?" He looked up, with a laugh. Lathrop's aspect was undisturbed. "Nothing to do with it!--though your silly little mind will no doubt go on thinking so." The other laughed again--with a more emphatic mockery. Lathrop reddened--then said quietly-- "Well, I admit that was a lie. Yes, she is handsome--and if she were to stick to it--sacrifice all her life to it--in time she might make a horrible success of this thing. Will she stick to it?" "Are you in love with her, Paul?" "Of course! I am in love with all pretty women--especially when I daren't shew it." "You daren't shew it?" "The smallest advance on my part, in this quarter, brings me a rap on the knuckles. I try to pitch what I have to say in the most impersonal and romantic terms. No good at all! But all egg-dancing is amusing, so I dance--and accept all the drudgery she and Alecto give me to do." "Alecto? Miss Marvell?" "Naturally." "These meetings must be pretty boring." "Especially because I can't keep my temper. I lose it in the vulgarest way--and say the most idiotic things." There was a pause of silence. The eyes of the journalist wandered round the room, coming back to Lathrop at last with renewed curiosity. "How are your affairs, Paul?" "Couldn't be worse. Everything here would have been seized long ago, if there had been anything to seize. But you can't distrain on trout--dear slithery things. And as the ponds afford my only means of sustenance, and do occasionally bring in something, my creditors have to leave me the house and a few beds and chairs so that I may look after them." "Why don't you write another book?"