’Why, wasn’t it just this kind of thing that caused a quarrel between George Sand and Musset?’

’Yes, yes; but George Sand was such a peremptory fellow, and Musset such a vapourish young person.  Look!  I’ll show you what I meant.’

‘Thanks,’ said Munden, ‘I can find that out for myself.’  He thrust the book into his coat-pocket.  ’I came to ask you if you are aware of your uncle’s condition.’

’Of course I am.

‘When did you see him last?’

‘See him?’ Shergold’s eyes wandered vaguely.  ’Oh, to talk with him, about a month ago.’

‘Did you part friendly?’

’On excellent terms.  And last night I went to ask after him.  Unfortunately he didn’t know any one, but the nurse said he had been mentioning my name, and in a kind way.’

‘Capital!  Hadn’t you better walk in that direction this afternoon?’

’Yes, perhaps I had, and yet, you know, I hate to have it supposed that I am hovering about him.’

‘All the same, go.’

Shergold pointed to a chair.  ’Sit down a bit.  I have been having a talk with Dr. Salmon.  He discourages me a good deal.  You know it’s far from certain that I shall go on with medicine.’

‘Far from certain!’ the other assented, smiling.  ’By the bye, I hear that you have been in the world of late.  You were at Lady Teasdale’s not long ago.’

‘Well—­yes—­why not?’

Perhaps it was partly his vexation at the book incident,—­Shergold seemed unable to fix his thoughts on anything; he shuffled in his seat and kept glancing nervously towards the door.

‘I was delighted to hear it,’ said his friend.  ’That’s a symptom of health.  Go everywhere; see everybody—­that’s worth seeing.  They got you to talk, I believe?’

’Who has been telling you?  I’m afraid I talked a lot of rubbish; I had shivers of shame all through a sleepless night after it.  But some one brought up Whistler, and etching, and so on, and I had a few ideas of which I wanted to relieve my mind.  And, after all, there’s a pleasure in talking to intelligent people.  Henry Wilt was there with his daughters.  Clever girls, by Jove!  And Mrs. Peter Rayne—­do you know her?’

‘Know of her, that’s all.’

’A splendid woman—­brains, brains!  Upon my soul, I know no such delight as listening to a really intellectual woman, when she’s also beautiful.  I shake with delight—­and what women one does meet, nowadays!  Of course the world never saw their like.  I have my idea of Aspasia—­but there are lots of grander women in London to-day.  One ought to live among the rich.  What a wretched mistake, when one can help it, to herd with narrow foreheads, however laudable your motive!  Since I got back among the better people my life has been trebled—­oh, centupled—­in value!’

‘My boy,’ remarked Munden quietly, ’didn’t I say something to this effect on a certain day nine years ago?’

‘Don’t talk of it,’ the other replied, waving his hand in agitation.  ’We’ll never look back at that.’