"With all your faults you are a great nation, because although these latter years seem often to have destroyed the sense of duty in the individual in regard to his own life, the ingrained sense of it had become a habit and the habit still continues in regard to the community--you are not likely to have upheavals of great magnitude here. Now all other countries are moved by different spirits, some by patriotism and gallantry like the French, some by superstition and ignorance worked on by mystic religion, as in my country--some by ruthless materialism like Germany; but that dull, solid sense of duty is purely English--and it is really a glorious thing." Amaryllis thought how John represented it exactly! "I feel that I want to do my duty," she said softly, "but..." "Continue to feel that and Fate will show you the way. Now I must take you back to your husband whom I see in the distance there--he is with Harietta Boleski. I wonder what he thinks of her?" "I have asked him! He says that she is so obvious as to be innocuous, and that he likes her clothes!" Verisschenzko did not answer, and Amaryllis wondered if he agreed with John! They had to pass along a corridor to reach the staircase, upon the landing of which they had seen Sir John and Madame Boleski leaning over the balustrade, and when they got there they had moved on out of sight, so Verisschenzko, bowing, left Amaryllis with Lady de la Paule. As he retraced his steps later on he saw Sir John Ardayre in earnest conversation with Lemon Bridges, the fashionable rising surgeon of the day. They stood in an alcove, and Verisschenzko's alert intelligence was struck by the expression on John Ardayre's face--it was so sad and resigned, as a brave man's who has received death sentence. And as he passed close to them he heard these words from John: "It is quite hopeless then--I feared so--" He stopped his descent for a moment and looked again--and then a sudden illumination came into his yellow-green eyes, and he went on down the stairs. "There is tragedy here--and how will it affect the Lady of my soul?" He walked out of the House and into Pall Mall, and there by the Rag met Denzil Ardayre! "We seem doomed to have unexpected meetings!" cried that young man delightedly. "Here I am only up for one night on regimental business, and I run into you!" They walked on together, and Denzil went into the Ritz with Verisschenzko and they smoked in his sitting-room. They talked of many things for a long time--of the unrest in Europe and the clouds in the Southeast--of Denzil's political aims--of things in general--and at last Verisschenzko said: "I have just left your cousin and his wife at the German Embassy; they have now gone on to a ball. He makes an indulgent husband--I suppose the affair is going well?"