She shut her eyes and lay still thinking that over. She opened them and saw his working face and anxious eyes. “About Mrs. Roope,” he reminded her. They were alone, the impeccable Stevens had gone for a hot-water bottle. “What is it exactly? Tell me all over again. I am feeling rather stupid. I thought we had settled and finished with her?” “She has reopened the matter, dragged me in.” She remembered now, and the flush in his face was reflected in hers. “But it is only a question of money. I’ve got her terms.” “We must not give her money. Gabriel says....” He would not let her speak, interrupting her hurriedly, continuing to speak without pause. “The sum isn’t impossible. As a matter of fact I can find it myself, or almost the whole amount. Then there’s Lansdowne, he’s really not half a bad fellow when you know him. And he’s as rich as Crœsus, he would gladly lend it to me.” “No. Nonsense! Don’t be absurd.” She was thinking, he could see that she was thinking whilst she spoke. “It’s my affair as much as yours,” he pleaded. “There is my practice to consider.” She almost smiled: “Then you actually have a practice?” “I’m going to have. Quite a big one too. Haven’t you told me so?” He was glad to get the talk down for one moment to another level. “It would be awfully bad for me if anything came out. I am only thinking of myself. I want to settle with her once for all.” Her faint had weakened her, she was just recovering from it. Physically she was more comfortable, mentally less alert, and satisfied it should be so. “Perhaps I took it too tragically?” she said slowly. “Perhaps as you say, in a way, it _is_ your affair.” He answered her eagerly. “That’s right. My affair, and nothing to do with your promise to him. Then you’ll leave it in my hands....” “You go so fast,” she complained. “The time is so short; she can’t have anything else up her sleeve. I funked telling you, I’ve left it so late.” He showed more delicacy than one would have given him credit for and stumbled over the next sentences. “He would hate to think of me in this connection. You’d hate to tell him. Just give me leave to settle with her. I’ll dash up to town.” “How much does she want?” “Five hundred. I can find the money.” “Nonsense; it isn’t the money. I wish I knew what I ought to do,” she said indecisively. “If only I hadn’t promised....” “This is nothing to do with what you promised ... this is a different thing altogether.” He was sophistical and insistent and she was weak, allowed herself to be persuaded. The money of course must be her affair, she could not allow him to be out of pocket. They disputed about this and he had more arguments to bring forward. These she brushed aside impatiently. If the money was to be paid she would pay it, could afford it better than he. “I’m sure I am doing wrong,” she repeated when she wrote out the cheque, blotted and gave it to him. “He’ll never know. No one will ever know.”