"Perhaps not--" I was nettled--I hated that the Duchesse should be displeased with me, then I went on--"I fear that she is very poor and I know that her little brother died just lately, and I would give anything in the world to help them in some way." "Sometimes one helps more by showing discretion." "You won't assist me then, Duchesse? I _feel_ that you know Miss Sharp." She frowned--. "Nicholas--if I did not love you really, I should be angry.--Am I the character to betray friends--presuming that I have friends--for a young man's curiosity?" "Indeed it is not curiosity--it is because I want to help--." "Camouflage!" I felt angry now. "You assume that your secretary is a _demoiselle du monde_"--she went on--"if you have reached that far--you should know that there is some honor, some _tenue_ left in old families,--and so you should treat her with consideration, and respect her incognito.--All this is not like you, my son!" The Duchesse had dropped the "thee and thou"--it hurt me. "I want to treat her with every respect--" I reiterated. "Then believe me it is unnecessary for you to know her name--I am not altogether pleased with you, Nicholas." "Dear Duchesse! that grieves me--I wish I could explain--I have only wanted to be kind--and I don't even know her address and could not send flowers when her brother died." "They did not want flowers, perhaps--Take my advice--of the best I can give--Pay your secretary her wages--as high ones as she will accept--and then treat her as if she were fifty years old--and wore glasses!" "She does wear glasses--abominable yellow horn rimmed spectacles!" I announced excitedly.--"Have you never seen them?" The Duchesse's eyes flashed--. "I have not said I ever met Miss Sharp, Nicholas--" I knew the affair was now hopeless--and that I would only risk the real displeasure of my dear old friend if I continued in this way. So I subsided.--I had some instinct too that I would not receive sympathy even if I owned that my intentions were strictly honourable. "I will say no more--except that should you know these people _cherè Duchesse_--and you ever discover that I could help them in any way--that you will call upon me to any extent." [Illustration: The fiery vixen Suzette (Renee Adoree) is enraged to learn of Sir Nicholas' (Lew Cody) attentions to other women, and leaves in a flurry. (A scene from Elinor Glyn's production "Man and Maid" for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)] She looked at me very searchingly and said laconically. "_Bien._" Then we talked of other things, and I tried to reingratiate myself--The war was going better--Foch would wish to push his advantage. Things must have some end--in the near future.--When was I going to England?--All these subjects we discussed. "When I am out of the hands of these doctors and have my new leg and eye--I will return, and then, I want to go into Parliament."