“Of course.”  But Undine was still absorbed in the economic aspect of the case.  “If they’re as rich as you say, I suppose Hubert means to pay you back by and bye?”

“Naturally.  It’s all arranged.  He’s given me a paper.”  He drew her hands into his.  “You see we’ve every reason to be kind to Miss Arlington.”

“Oh, I’ll be as kind as you like!” She brightened at the prospect of repayment.  Yes, they would ask the girl down...  She leaned a little nearer to her husband.  “But then after a while we shall be a good deal better off—­especially, as you say, with no more of Hubert’s debts to worry us.”  And leaning back far enough to give her upward smile, she renewed her plea for the premier in the Hotel de Chelles:  “Because, really, you know, as the head of the house you ought to—­”

“Ah, my dear, as the head of the house I’ve so many obligations; and one of them is not to miss a good stroke of business when it comes my way.”

Her hands slipped from his shoulders and she drew back.  “What do you mean by a good stroke of business?

“Why, an incredible piece of luck—­it’s what kept me on so long in Paris.  Miss Arlington’s father was looking for an apartment for the young couple, and I’ve let him the premier for twelve years on the understanding that he puts electric light and heating into the whole hotel.  It’s a wonderful chance, for of course we all benefit by it as much as Hubert.”

“A wonderful chance... benefit by it as much as Hubert!” He seemed to be speaking a strange language in which familiar-sounding syllables meant something totally unknown.  Did he really think she was going to coop herself up again in their cramped quarters while Hubert and his skating-rink bride luxuriated overhead in the coveted premier?  All the resentments that had been accumulating in her during the long baffled months since her marriage broke into speech.  “It’s extraordinary of you to do such a thing without consulting me!”

“Without consulting you?  But, my dear child, you’ve always professed the most complete indifference to business matters—­you’ve frequently begged me not to bore you with them.  You may be sure I’ve acted on the best advice; and my mother, whose head is as good as a man’s, thinks I’ve made a remarkably good arrangement.”

“I daresay—­but I’m not always thinking about money, as you are.”

As she spoke she had an ominous sense of impending peril; but she was too angry to avoid even the risks she saw.  To her surprise Raymond put his arm about her with a smile.  “There are many reasons why I have to think about money.  One is that you don’t; and another is that I must look out for the future of our son.”