"What am I to do if I do not laugh?" asked my lord. "Again, what is your wish?" "That you should decide for yourself," answered Susannah quickly. "In a manner I have been forced to interfere, I have also been forced to speak to you now, at this unseasonable time, in this foolish place, and I cannot say all that might come into my mind"--she paused and bit her lip; "as for her--that was all her message to you, Rose, that you should, for her sake, keep quiet. I do not know if she was right or not." My lord considered her curiously. "Would you have me provoke a duel, Susannah?" Her expression suddenly and painfully changed. "I would have you _want_ to, Rose," she answered with subdued vehemence; "but my feelings are not in the question, only, perhaps, I know you better than she does, and I am sorry----" "For me?" inquired the Earl, smiling. Miss Chressham pushed the locks back from her forehead. "For all of it"--she was very pale, her lips seemed to move stiffly; "and there is another question, which, since I get no other chance, I must ask in this half public manner: what of the money, Rose? My lady is very extravagant. I do what I can, but she has no thought for expense, and I hear Mr. Hilton's fortune hath been damaged." The Earl gave his soft pleasant laugh. "Mr. Hilton is insolent; is it already a matter of comment, my difficulties?" "Then you are--entangled," said Susannah breathlessly. "Oh, no, I never heard any mention of it--who should to me?--but from my own observation." Rose Lyndwood lifted his shoulders. "Is it not inevitable?" He turned his face away. "After all," he said irrelevantly, "how can life be dull when one has always the thought of death?" Susannah Chressham stood still, fingering her mask. "You have resolved that you will not be frank with me, that I must not understand you, and I can scarcely plead with you to be plain; nor have I any right nor any power to be your monitor; you sacrificed yourself once, to Marius and my lady, and I think it was insane nobility; now, well, I must either unlock my heart and frighten you or be silent, so, I am silent." She turned to leave the alcove, but my lord rose and put himself before her. "One moment," he spoke softly. "You have mentioned Marius." She looked up into his beautiful face, and caught her breath, hesitating, with her domino clasped together on her bosom with a trembling hand. "What of him?" she asked, and shook back the heavy brown curls on to her shoulders. "I think he had better go to Paris," said the Earl. "Yes," answered Miss Chressham. "But he will not. I have tried to persuade him." "You must still endeavour to persuade him," said my lord; "for all our sakes." She was agitated, frightened. "What do you mean? I have no influence with Marius."