She reminded herself that in old days--in the days when she had been his idol, his goddess--she had had a certain contemptuous fondness for her husband. She would be generous--now. Jane had taught her that it was good to be generous. How true a friend had Jane Oglander been to her! Athena felt a rush of warm gratitude to the woman who still--how strange, how absurd it seemed--was engaged to Lingard. Jane, like the angel she was, would help them--Athena and Hew Lingard--over what must be for some time to come very delicate ground. Their progress, albeit that of happy and, what was so satisfactory, of innocent lovers, would be hampered with small difficulties. How fortunate it was, how more than fortunate, that Lingard's engagement to Jane had not yet been publicly announced.... "Have you told Dick?" she asked nervously. Her husband--he was still her husband--had smiled strangely as only reply to her kindly words. "Was it about that you wished to see him to-night?" "No, I have not yet told Dick of my decision." "I suppose it can all be managed very quietly?" she said plaintively. "I hope I shan't have to go and appear before a judge--or shall I?" Richard Maule looked at her thoughtfully. "That is a thing I cannot tell you," he said slowly. "Many would say to you most confidently--yes, that you will have to appear before the Judge." "I thought there was a thing in England called taking evidence on commission. You yourself, Richard, could not possibly appear in person. And then--I want to know, it is rather important that I should know"--her husband bent his head gravely--"if there will be any delay?" "You mean any lapse of time before the decree can be obtained?" Her eyes dropped. "Yes, that is what I do mean." In old days it had always been better to be quite frank with Richard. "I think not. In this kind of case I think there is no delay. The legal procedure is quite simple." He waited a moment. "You of course will bring the suit, and I shall not oppose it. You see, Athena,--no doubt you have been at the pains to inform yourself of the fact, for to my surprise Jane Oglander was aware of it,--the dissolution of a marriage carries with it no stain--no stain, that is, on the wife who has been so poorly used." There came a look of raillery on his white face, and Athena again told herself that he was very cruel--cruel and heartless. "The wife, I repeat, goes out into the world unsullied, ready, if so the fancy takes her, to become another man's bride--his wife in reality as well as in name." He looked at her significantly, and added, more lightly, "The world has become more liberal since the days of my youth. I am sure there will be great sympathy felt for you, Athena. Such a marriage as ours is in truth a monstrous thing. I did not need Jane to tell me that, though it was odd of Jane to have thought of it." There came over him a terrible feeling of lassitude. "And now I'm afraid I must ask you to help me to get back to my room."