She was sure that he
would excuse her. She must go and see after Emily.
When the door closed, the woman who had just left him seemed like some one
he had seen in a dream; and still more shadowy and illusive did the girl
seem--that pale and plaintive beauty, looking like a pastel, who had so
troubled him with her enigmatic eyes! And the lodging-house that he had
left only a few hours ago! and Rose.
On Sunday he had taken Rose out to dinner. They dined at the Caf?-Royal. He
had tried to talk to her about Hamilton Brown's new drama, which they had
just heard would follow _Divorce_; but he was unable to detach his thoughts
from Ashwood and the ladies he was going to visit to-morrow evening. Hubert
and Rose had felt like two school-fellows, one of whom is leaving school;
the link that had bound them had snapped; henceforth their ways lay
separate; and they were sad at parting just as school-friends are sad.
'You are not rich; you offered to lend me money once. I want to lend you
some now.'
'Oh yes; five shillings, wasn't it?'
'It doesn't matter what the sum was--we were both very poor then----'
'And I'm still poorer now.'
'All the more reason why you should allow me to help you.... Allow me to
write you a cheque for a hundred pounds.
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