"I am sorry," he turned now. "I think it hath not been inhabited for some time." He did not look at her. "Shall I light the lamp?" "Yes," answered the Countess, shivering. "And draw the curtains." He obeyed her in a quiet, mechanical way; the silver lamp cast a soft, pleasant glow by which she could see the details of the chamber and the splendour of his embroidered dress. "You were going out?" she asked. "To the ball at Trefusis House." Still he avoided her eyes. She laughed weakly. "I should be there; I wonder if my lord is waiting for me!" Then she wished that she had not said that, for she saw him wince. "Who else is in the house?" she asked abruptly. "I do not know," his voice was low and laboured. "A woman downstairs, I believe, and some others." "I met your man, he admitted me." She shook back her hair and flung open the mantle over her soft white dress; she drew her silk gloves off and laid them across her lap. "Speak to me, Marius." He seated himself at the spinet so that his profile was towards her; above the gold and pink glimmer of his brocaded coat, his face showed ill and suddenly and strangely worn. She, intensely observing him, thought that never had she seen him look so like her husband, and she hated him for it. She either hated him or loved him--and after all, it came to the same. "Will you not speak to me, Marius?" With his eyes on the ground he answered her. "What do you think we can do?" "Take me away," said the Countess, breathing deeply. "Somewhere--there is the place in Genoa, you must know?" She gave a wild little laugh. "I suppose we have no money, but there is only ruin here; my lord has beggared me, my father is a ruined man; I brought some of my jewels with me; take me away, Marius." He raised the grey eyes that were so like the Earl's. "You cannot know what you say, for if you do, honour hath no meaning." Her face flushed with the feverish blood his words roused to action. "Maybe it hath a different meaning to you and me. I think so." She rose and caught hold of the back of the chair. "Perhaps you despise me, but you have no right." She coughed, stifled it, and went on. "You speak from your code, but I at least have this to my credit--I have been very faithful." He got to his feet and faced her. "To what?" "To you," she said, and looked at him straightly. His face blanched so it seemed he must faint; he pressed his handkerchief to his lips and leant heavily against the window frame. "Why did you woo me?" cried the Countess, at the high tide of nameless passion. "What was your honour then to dare to let me think I was all in all to you? Were you absolved because I was forced into a loveless marriage? But there is no need to say all this, you know what I mean." "You are my brother's wife," said Marius hoarsely. "You are the Countess of Lyndwood." "Is that fact paramount with you?" she mocked. "Oh, a man's honour!" He seemed to catch at the word.