“Sometimes. But this won’t. I can’t bear to think of it. You know, one gets very fond of Bill.” I knew. But I doubt if anyone else would have added, as Nancy did, “And I’m so sorry for _her_.” “Why?” said Christopher, who was beside her as usual. He was one of the people who did not admire Mrs. Harter. “Well, she is married, isn’t she?” Mrs. Fazackerly suggested. “I suppose things may be rather difficult, perhaps, when Mr. Harter comes to England.” One could not help remembering that Mrs. Fazackerly had the best of reasons for understanding how difficult things could be made by the return of a husband, even although the late Mr. Fazackerly had had no serious grievances to provoke his habits of violence. “I know nothing about Mr. Harter,” said Christopher, “but if he’s coming here, mark my words, there’ll be trouble.” Mrs. Fazackerly may or may not have marked Christopher’s words--probably she did--but it was quite evident enough without them that the arrival of Harter in Cross Loman would precipitate a crisis. “Is he coming here?” I asked. Mrs. Fazackerly nodded. “When?” I said, and Christopher Ambrey at the same moment said, “Why?” “Very soon. And he’s coming because--” Nancy paused and then said in a slightly awe-stricken way: “She’s written and asked him to come.” “Did she tell you so?” “Captain Patch did.” “And did he tell you why she did anything so astonishing?” “Not exactly. I got an impression, though.” She hesitated. “I think I’ll tell you. I think, in a way, he rather wanted me to tell people--especially if anyone is talking about them.” “Everyone is talking about them,” I assured her. “Please add to the number.” All the same, I knew that what she wanted to say was, by comparison with the tittle-tattle that was going on, something serious. “Diamond Harter has written to her husband and asked him to come here. She is very unhappily married--everyone knows that--and I think she is going to try and put an end to it.” “Put an end to it?” “A separation, I suppose, or--or a divorce, perhaps.” “And where, exactly, does Bill Patch come in?” “I should have thought that was obvious,” muttered Christopher. “That’s exactly where you’re mistaken, my dear fellow. There’s nothing obvious about any of it. Neither of them are obvious people, and I distrust profoundly the combination of an obvious situation and two such unobvious protagonists. It is quite impossible to predict what their reactions may be.” I felt rather like Sallie as I spoke, and I also knew that Christopher, by instinct, dislikes and distrusts the use of polysyllabic words. He looked at me rather disgustedly, but did not say anything. Nancy Fazackerly went on. “Of course, it’s impossible not to see that she and Captain Patch are--are always together. But really and truly I believe she’s written--or they both have--to Mr. Harter.” “To tell him that they’re making themselves the talk of Cross Loman? How considerate!”