"No," said Fay, but a thought doubtfully. "No," more firmly. Then with a smile that was subtly compounded of pathos and confidence, "Nobody would mack plitty little Fay ... 'cept ... plapse ... Auntie Dzan." The stern aunt in question snatched up her niece to cover her with kisses. Ayah escaped chastisement that evening, for, arrayed in a white nighty, "plitty little Fay" sat good as gold on Jan's knee, absorbed in the interest of "This little pig went to market," told on her own toes. Even Tony, the aloof and unfriendly, consented to unbend to the extent of being interested in the dialogue of "John Smith and Minnie Bowl, can you shoe a little foal?" and actually thrust out his own bare feet that Jan might make them take part in the drama of the "twa wee doggies who went to the market," and came back "louper-scamper, louper-scamper." At the end of every song or legend came the inevitable "What nelse?" from little Fay--and Jan only escaped after the most solemn promises had been exacted for a triple bill on the morrow. When she had changed and went back to the sitting-room, dinner was ready. Lalkhan again bent over her with fatherly solicitude as he offered each course, and this time Jan, being really hungry, rather enjoyed his ministrations. A boy assisted at the sideboard, and another minion appeared to bring the dishes from the kitchen, for the butler and the boy never left the room for an instant. Fay looked like a tired ghost, and Jan could see that it was a great effort to her to talk cheerfully and seem interested in the home news. After dinner they went back to the sitting-room. Lalkhan brought coffee and Fay lit a cigarette. Jan wandered round, looking at the photographs and engravings on the walls. "How is it," she asked, "that Mr. Ledgard seems to come in so many of these groups? Did you rent the flat from a friend of his?" "I didn't 'rent' the flat from anybody," Fay answered. "It's Peter's own flat. He lent it to us." Jan turned and stared at her sister. "Mr. Ledgard's flat!" she repeated. "And what is he doing?" "He's living at the club just now. He turned out when we came. Don't look at me like that, Jan.... There was nothing else to be done." Jan came back and sat on the edge of the big sofa. "But I understood Hugo's letter to say...." "Whatever Hugo said in his letter was probably lies. If Peter hadn't lent us his flat, I should have had nowhere to lay my head. Who do you suppose would let us a flat here, after all that has happened, unless we paid in advance, and how could we do that without any ready money? Why, a flat like this unfurnished costs over three hundred rupees a month. I don't know what a furnished flat would be." "But--isn't it ... taking a great deal from Mr. Ledgard?" Jan asked timidly. Fay stretched out her hand and suddenly switched off the lights, so that they were left together on the big sofa in the soft darkness.