Julia's heart beat quickly. She was much excited at this meeting; and it seemed to her strangely romantic, a sign of the civilisation of the times, that these two people with raging passions afire in their hearts, should exchange the commonplaces of polite society, Alec, having recovered from his momentary confusion was extremely urbane. 'Somebody told me you'd gone abroad,' he said. 'Was it you, Dick? Dick is an admirable person, a sort of gazetteer for the world of fashion.' Dick fussily brought forward a chair for Lucy to sit in, and offered to disembarrass her of the jacket she was wearing. 'You must make my excuses for not leaving a card on Lady Kelsey before going away,' said Alec. 'I've been excessively busy.' 'It doesn't matter at all,' Lucy answered. Julia glanced at him. She saw that he was determined to keep the conversation on the indifferent level which it might have occupied if Lucy had been nothing more than an acquaintance. There was a bantering tone in his voice which was an effective barrier to all feeling. For a moment she was nonplussed. 'London is an excellent place for showing one of how little importance one is in the world. One makes a certain figure, and perhaps is tempted to think oneself of some consequence. Then one goes away, and on returning is surprised to discover that nobody has ever noticed one's absence.' Lucy smiled faintly. Dick, recovering his good-humour, came at once to the rescue. 'You're overmodest, Alec. If you weren't, you might be a great man. Now, I make a point of telling my friends that I'm indispensable, and they take me at my word.' 'You are a leaven of flippancy in the heavy dough of British righteousness,' smiled Alec. 'It is true that the wise man only takes the unimportant quite seriously.' 'For it is obvious that one needs more brains to do nothing with elegance than to be a cabinet minister,' said Alec. 'You pay me a great compliment, Alec,' cried Dick. 'You repeat to my very face one of my favourite observations.' Julia looked at him steadily. 'Haven't I heard you say that only the impossible is worth doing?' 'Good heavens,' he cried. 'I must have been quoting the headings of a copy-book.' Lucy felt that she must say something. She had been watching Alec, and her heart was nearly breaking. She turned to Dick. 'Are you going down to Southampton?' she asked. 'I am, indeed,' he answered. 'I shall hide my face on Alec's shoulder and weep salt tears. It will be most affecting, because in moments of emotion I always burst into epigram.' Alec sprang to his feet. There was a bitterness in his face which was in odd contrast with Dick's light words. 'I loathe all solemn leave-takings,' he said. 'I prefer to part from people with a nod or a smile, whether I'm going for ever or for a day to Brighton.' 'I've always assured you that you're a monster of inhumanity,' said Mrs. Lomas, laughing difficultly. He turned to her with a grim smile.