"I know, and I'm only trying to tell you what happened--how we felt about the thing. And then--we needn't have troubled! A gay young gentleman, a little merry with wine--a lady in a cafe--a hot-tempered man particularly jealous to exact respect for her--what a simple, obvious, silly way to bring everything to dust!" "You said you were happy at last." "Our fight was done; our love was perfect. Oh, but we managed a quarrel; I wanted to die, too, and that made him terribly angry." She laughed--and the tears rolled down her cheeks. "Dear, dear Leonard--he said that, if he'd known I should talk such nonsense, he'd have thrown the Frenchman into the Loire and had no more trouble about it. So he died--his crossness with me just over!" "Well over, I think," I said gently. "He gave just one turn of his great great body, laid his head on my breast, swore at a fly that settled on his nose--oh, Austin!--and went to sleep there like a little child. It was above two hours before I could bear to call anybody. Then--they took him away." After a long pause, which I had no inclination to break, she went on: "I daresay you wonder why I came back here?" "I thought you'd come back. Things never seem irremediable to you; you never like to let go finally." "That's true, I suppose. But I've a more special reason than that. Leonard left me a legacy--that brings me here--but don't let's talk about that for a minute. Is it true that Bertram Ware talks about selling Oxley. Mr. Cartmell said something about it in one of his letters." "He's understood to be open to a good offer, I fancy." "Then we'll make him one." "You're at work already!" "A pretty place and a nice little estate--just between Fillingford Manor and Overington!" Was the inherited liking for "driving wedges" still in force? She had lost Fillingford Manor, but Oxley Lodge would make a useful wedge. "I wonder if there's any chance of that new man at Hingston selling! I don't want the house, but those farms round Hilton Heath would round us off nicely." "Buy the county and the town! Isn't that what you want?" "I don't want one single thing, Austin--for myself. But I have a little plan in my head. Well, I must do something with my life, mustn't I--and with all this money?" "Build the Institute!" "I really think I shall be able to manage that. Mr. Bindlecombe's my friend still?" "He has plucked up courage--under the influence of Lady Aspenick." "Ah, yes," said Jenny, "I must try not to lose Lady Aspenick." She looked thoughtful. "Yes, I must try." She seemed to anticipate some difficulty.