Next day, her eyes red with weeping, she dragged herself to Haddo’s door. When he opened it, she went in without a word. She sat down, and he watched her in silence. “I am willing to marry you whenever you choose,” she said at last. “I have made all the necessary arrangements.” “You have spoken to me of your mother. Will you take me to her at once.” The shadow of a smile crossed his lips. “If you wish it.” Haddo told her that they could be married before the Consul early enough on the Thursday morning to catch a train for England. She left everything in his hands. “I’m desperately unhappy,” she said dully. Oliver laid his hands upon her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Go home, and you will forget your tears. I command you to be happy.” Then it seemed that the bitter struggle between the good and the evil in her was done, and the evil had conquered. She felt on a sudden curiously elated. It seemed no longer to matter that she deceived her faithful friends. She gave a bitter laugh, as she thought how easy it was to hoodwink them. Wednesday happened to be Arthur’s birthday, and he asked her to dine with him alone. “We’ll do ourselves proud, and hang the expense,” he said. They had arranged to eat at a fashionable restaurant on the other side of the river, and soon after seven he fetched her. Margaret was dressed with exceeding care. She stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Arthur’s arrival, and surveyed herself in the glass. Susie thought she had never been more beautiful. “I think you’ve grown more pleasing to look upon than you ever were,” she said. “I don’t know what it is that has come over you of late, but there’s a depth in your eyes that is quite new. It gives you an odd mysteriousness which is very attractive.” Knowing Susie’s love for Arthur, she wondered whether her friend was not heartbroken as she compared her own plainness with the radiant beauty that was before her. Arthur came in, and Margaret did not move. He stopped at the door to look at her. Their eyes met. His heart beat quickly, and yet he was seized with awe. His good fortune was too great to bear, when he thought that this priceless treasure was his. He could have knelt down and worshipped as though a goddess of old Greece stood before him. And to him also her eyes had changed. They had acquired a burning passion which disturbed and yet enchanted him. It seemed that the lovely girl was changed already into a lovely woman. An enigmatic smile came to her lips. “Are you pleased?” she asked. Arthur came forward and Margaret put her hands on his shoulders. “You have scent on,” he said.