〃You　CUR；〃　she　said；　and　suddenly　put　her　hand　to　her　breast。　He　thought　she　meant　to　faint；　but　she　stood；　with　the　colour　gone　from　her　face。
  〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　you。〃
  〃Love！〃　said　she。
  〃Yeslove。〃
  〃There　are　ways　yet；〃　she　said；　after　a　pause。
  〃Not　for　you。　You　are　too　full　of　life　and　hope　yet　for；　what　is　it？not　the　dark　arch　nor　the　black　flowing　river。　Don't　you　think　of　it。　You'll　only　shirk　it　when　the　moment　comes；　and　turn　it　all　into　comedy。〃
  She　turned　round　abruptly　from　him　and　stood　looking　out　across　the　parade　at　the　shining　sea　over　which　the　afterglow　of　day　fled　before　the　rising　moon。　He　maintained　his　attitude。　The　blinds　were　still　up；　for　she　had　told　the　waiter　not　to　draw　them。　There　was　silence　for　some　moments。
  At　last　he　spoke　in　as　persuasive　a　voice　as　he　could　summon。　〃Take　it　sensibly；　Jessie。　Why　should　we；　who　have　so　much　in　common；　quarrel　into　melodrama？　I　swear　I　love　you。　You　are　all　that　is　bright　and　desirable　to　me。　I　am　stronger　than　you；　older；　man　to　your　woman。　To　find　YOU　tooconventional！〃
  She　looked　at　him　over　her　shoulder；　and　he　noticed　with　a　twinge　of　delight　how　her　little　chin　came　out　beneath　the　curve　of　her　cheek。
  〃MAN！〃　she　said。　〃Man　to　MY　woman！　Do　MEN　lie？　Would　a　MAN　use　his　five　and　thirty　years'　experience　to　outwit　a　girl　of　seventeen？　Man　to　my　woman　indeed！　That　surely　is　the　last　insult！〃
  〃Your　repartee　is　admirable；　Jessie。　I　should　say　they　do；　thoughall　that　and　more　also　when　their　hearts　were　set　on　such　a　girl　as　yourself。　For　God's　sake　drop　this　shrewishness！　Why　should　you　be　sodifficult　to　me？　Here　am　I　with　MY　reputation；　MY　career；　at　your　feet。　Look　here；　Jessieon　my　honour；　I　will　marry　you〃
  〃God　forbid；〃　she　said；　so　promptly　that　she　never　learnt　he　had　a　wife；　even　then。　It　occurred　to　him　then　for　the　first　time；　in　the　flash　of　her　retort；　that　she　did　not　know　he　was　married。
  〃'Tis　only　a　pre…nuptial　settlement；〃　he　said；　following　that　hint。
  He　paused。
  〃You　must　be　sensible。　The　thing's　your　own　doing。　Come　out　on　the　beach　now　the　beach　here　is　splendid；　and　the　moon　will　soon　be　high。〃
  〃_I_　WON'T〃　she　said；　stamping　her　foot。
  〃Well；　well〃
  〃Oh！　leave　me　alone。　Let　me　think〃
  〃Think；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　want　to。　It's　your　cry　always。　But　you　can't　save　yourself　by　thinking；　my　dear　girl。　You　can't　save　yourself　in　any　way　now。　If　saving　it　isthis　parsimony〃
  〃Oh；　gogo。〃
  〃Very　well。　I　will　go。　I　will　go　and　smoke　a　cigar。　And　think　of　you；　dear。　。　。　。　But　do　you　think　I　should　do　all　this　if　I　did　not　care？〃
  〃Go；〃　she　whispered；　without　glancing　round。　She　continued　to　stare　out　of　the　window。　He　stood　looking　at　her　for　a　moment；　with　a　strange　light　in　his　eyes。　He　made　a　step　towards　her。　〃I　HAVE　you；〃；　he　said。　〃You　are　mine。　Nettedcaught。　But　mine。〃　He　would　have　gone　up　to　her　and　laid　his　hand　upon　her；　but　he　did　not　dare　to　do　that　yet。　〃I　have　you　in　my　hand；〃　he　said；　〃in　my　power。　Do　you　hearPOWER！〃
  She　remained　impassive。　He　stared　at　her　for　half　a　minute；　and　then；　with　a　superb　gesture　that　was　lost　upon　her；　went　to　the　door。　Surely　the　instinctive　abasement　of　her　sex　before　Strength　was　upon　his　side。　He　told　himself　that　his　battle　was　won。　She　heard　the　handle　move　and　the　catch　click　as　the　door　closed　behind　him。
  XXII
  And　now　without　in　the　twilight　behold　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　his　cheeks　hot；　his　eye　bright！　His　brain　is　in　a　tumult。　The　nervous；　obsequious　Hoopdriver；　to　whom　I　introduced　you　some　days　since；　has　undergone　a　wonderful　change。　Ever　since　he　lost　that　'spoor'　in　Chichester；　he　has　been　tormented　by　the　most　horrible　visions　of　the　shameful　insults　that　may　be　happening。　The　strangeness　of　new　surroundings　has　been　working　to　strip　off　the　habitual　servile　from　him。　Here　was　moonlight　rising　over　the　memory　of　a　red　sunset；　dark　shadows　and　glowing　orange　lamps；　beauty　somewhere　mysteriously　rapt　away　from　him；　tangible　wrong　in　a　brown　suit　and　an　unpleasant　face；　flouting　him。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　for　the　time；　was　in　the　world　of　Romance　and　Knight…errantry；　divinely　forgetful　of　his　social　position　or　hers；　forgetting；　too；　for　the　time　any　of　the　wretched　timidities　that　had　tied　him　long　since　behind　the　counter　in　his　proper　place。　He　was　angry　and　adventurous。　It　was　all　about　him；　this　vivid　drama　he　had　fallen　into；　and　it　was　eluding　him。　He　was　far　too　grimly　in　earnest　to　pick　up　that　lost　thread　and　make　a　play　of　it　now。　The　man　was　living。　He　did　not　pose　when　he　alighted　at　the　cof　ee　tavern　even；　nor　when　he　made　his　hasty　meal。
  As　Bechamel　crossed　from　the　Vicuna　towards　the　esplanade；　Hoopdriver；　disappointed　and　exasperated；　came　hurrying　round　the　corner　from　the　Temperance　Hotel。　At　the　sight　of　Bechamel；　his　heart　jumped；　and　the　tension　of　his　angry　suspense　exploded　into；　rather　than　gave　place　to；　an　excited　activity　of　mind。　They　were　at　the　Vicuna；　and　she　was　there　now　alone。　It　was　the　occasion　he　sought。　But　he　would　give　Chance　no　chance　against　him。　He　went　back　round　the　corner；　sat　down　on　the　seat；　and　watched　Bechamel　recede　into　the　dimness　up　the　esplanade；　before　he　got　up　and　walked　into　the　hotel　entrance。　〃A　lady　cyclist　in　grey；〃　he　asked　for；　and　followed　boldly　on　the　waiter's　heels。　The　door　of　the　dining…room　was　opening　before　he　felt　a　qualm。　And　then　suddenly　he　was　nearly　minded　to　turn　and　run　for　it；　and　his　features　seemed　to　him　to　be　convulsed。
  She　turned　with　a　start；　and　looked　at　him　with　something　between　terror　and　hope　in　her　eyes。
  〃Can　Ihave　a　few　wordswith　you；　alone？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　controlling　his　breath　with　difficulty。　She　hesitated；　and　then　motioned　the　waiter　to　withdraw。
  Mr。　Hoopdriver　watched　the　door　shut。　He　had　intended　to　step　out　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　fold　his　arms　and　say；　〃You　are　in　trouble。　I　am　a　Friend。　Trust　me。〃　Instead　of　which　he　stood　panting　and　then　spoke　with　sudden　familiarity；　hastily；　guiltily：　〃Look　here。　I　don't　know　what　the　juice　is　up；　but　I　think　there's　something　wrong。　Excuse　my　intrudingif　it　isn't　so。　I'll　do　anything　you　like　to　help　you　out　of　the　scrapeif　you're　in　one。　That's　my　meaning；　I　believe。　What　can　I　do？　I　would　do　anything　to　help　you。〃
  Her　brow　puckered；　as　she　watched　him　make；　with　infinite　emotion；　this　remarkable　speech。　〃YOU！〃　she　said。　She　was　tumultuously　weighing　possibilities　in　her　mind；　and　he　had　scarcely　ceased　when　she　had　made　her　resolve。
  She　stepped　a　pace　forward。　〃You　are　a　gentleman；〃　she　said。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。
  〃Can　I　trust　you？〃
  She　did　not　wait　for　his　assurance。　〃I　must　leave　this　hotel　at　once。　Come　here。〃
  She　took　his　arm　and　led　him　to　the　window。
  〃You　can　just　see　the　gate。　It　is　still　open。　Through　that　are　our　bicycles。　Go　down；　get　them　out；　and　I　will　come　down　to　you。　Dare　you？
  〃Get　your　bicycle　out　in　the　road？〃
  〃Both。　Mine　alone　is　no　good。　At　once。　Dare　you？〃
  〃Which　way？〃
  〃Go　out　by　the　front　door　and　round。　I　will　follow　in　one　minute。〃
  〃Right！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　and　went。
  He　had　to　get　those　bicycles。　Had　he　been　told　to　go　out　and　kill　Bechamel　he　would　have　done　it。　His　head　was　a　MaeIstrom　now。　He　walked　out　of　the　hotel；　along　the　front；　and　into　the　big；　blackshadowed　coach　yard。　He　looked　round。　There　were　no　bicycles　visible。　Then　a　man　emerged　from　the　dark；　a　short　man　in　a　short；　black；　shiny　jacket。　Hoopdriver　was　caught。　He　made　no　attempt　to　turn　and　run　for　it。　〃I've　been　giving　your　machines　a　wipe　over；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　recognising　the　suit；　and　touching　his　cap。　Hoopdriver's　intelligence　now　was　a　soaring　eagle；　he　swooped　on　the　situation　at　once。　〃That's　right；〃　he　said；　and　added；　before　the　pause　became　marked；　〃Where　is　mine？　I　want　to　look　at　the　chain。〃
  The　man　led　him　into　an　open　shed；　and　went　fumbling　for　a　lantern。　Hoopdriver　moved　the　lady's　machine　out　of　his　way　to　the　door；　and　then　laid　hands　on　the　man's　machine　and　wheeled　it　out　of　the　shed　into　the　yard。　The　gate　stood　open　and　beyond　was　the　pale　road　and　a　clump　of　trees　black　in　the　twilight。　He　stooped　and　examined　the　chain　with　trembling　fingers。　How　was　it　to　be　done？　Something　behind　the　gate　seemed　to　flutter。　The　man　must　be　got　rid　of　anyhow。
  〃I　say；〃　said　Hoopdriver；　with　an　inspiration；　〃can　you　get　me　a　screwdriver？〃
  The　man　simply　walked　across　the　shed；　opened　and　shut　a　box；　and　came　up　to　the　kneeling　Hoopdriver　with　a　screwdriver　in　his　hand。　Hoopdriver　felt　himself　a　lost　man。　He　took　the　screwdriver　with　a　tepid　〃Thanks；〃　and　incontinently　had　another　inspiration。
  〃I　say；〃　he　said　again。
  〃Well？〃
  〃This　is　miles　too　big。〃
  The　man　lit　the　lantern；　brought　it　up　to　Hoopdriver　and　put　it　down　on　the　ground。　〃Want　a　smaller　screwdriver？〃　he　said。
  Hoopdriver　had　his　handkerchief　out　and　sneezed　a　prompt　ATICHEW。　It　is　the　orthodox　thing　when　you　wish　to　avoid　recognition。　〃As　small　as　you　have；〃　he　said；　out　of　his　pocket　handkerchief。
  〃I　ain't　got　none　smaller　than　that；〃　said　the　ostler。
  〃Won't　do；　really；〃　said　Hoopdriver；　still　wallowing　in　his　handkerchief。
  〃I'll　see　wot　they　got　in　the　'ouse；　if　you　like；　sir；〃　said　the　man。　〃If　you　would；〃　said　Hoopdriver。　And　as　the　m