"The fact is," Musa broke in, "you are in love with the old Gilman." "He is not old!" cried Audrey. "In some ways he is much less worn out than you are. And supposing I am in love with Mr. Gilman? Does it regard you? Do not be rude. Mr. Gilman is at any rate polite. He is not capricious. He is reliable. You aren't reliable. You want someone upon whom you can rely. How nice for your wife! You play the violin. True. You are a genius. But you cannot always be on the platform. And when you are not on the platform...! Heavens! If I wish to hear you play I can buy a seat and come and hear you and go away again. But your wife, responsible for your career--she will never be free. Her life will be unbearable. What anxiety! Misery, I should say rather! You would have the lion's share of everything. Now for myself I intend to have the lion's share. And why shouldn't I? Isn't it about time some woman had it? You can't have the lion's share if you are not free. I mean to be free. If I marry I shall want a husband that is not a prison.... Thank goodness I've got money.... Without that----!" "Then," said Musa, "you have no feeling for me." "Love?" she laughed exasperatingly. "Yes," he said. "Not that much!" She snapped her fingers. "But"--in a changed tone--"I _should_ like to like you. I shall be very disgusted if your concerts are not a tremendous success. And they will not be if you don't keep control over yourself and practise properly. And it will be your fault." "Then, good-bye!" he said, coldly ignoring all her maternal suggestions. And turned away. "Where are you going to?" He stopped. "I do not know. But if I do not deceive myself I have already informed you that in certain circumstances I should not return to the yacht." "You are worse than a schoolboy." "It is possible." "Anyway, _I_ shan't explain on the yacht. I shall tell them that I know nothing about it." "But no one will believe you," he retorted maliciously over his shoulder. And then he was gone. She at any rate was no longer surrounded by the largeness of the universe. He might still be, but she was not. She was in mind already on the yacht trying to act a surprise equal to the surprise of the others when Musa failed to reappear. She was very angry with him, not because he had been a rude schoolboy and was entirely impossible as a human being, but because she had allowed herself to leave the yacht with him and would therefore be compelled sooner or later to answer questions about him. She seriously feared that Mr. Gilman might refuse to sail unless she confessed to him her positive knowledge that Musa would not be seen again, and that thus she might have to choose between the failure of her plans for Jane Foley and her own personal discomfiture.