“Chosen me for what?”

“You know that a new great campaign will soon begin.  It is all arranged.  It will necessitate my returning to England and challenging the police.  You know also that Jane Foley was to have been my lieutenant-in-chief—­for the active part of the operation.  You will admit that I can no longer count on her completely.  Will you take her place?”

“I’ll help,” said Audrey.  “I’ll do what I can.  I dare say I shan’t have much money, because one of those ‘accidents’ you mentioned has happened to me already.”

“That need not trouble you,” replied Rosamund imperturbable.  “I have always been able to get all the money that was needed.”

“Well, I’ll help all I can.”

“That’s not what I ask,” said Rosamund inflexibly.  “Will you take Jane Foley’s place?  Will you give yourself utterly?”

Audrey answered with sudden vehemence: 

“No, I won’t.  You didn’t want a definite answer, but there it is.”

“But surely you believe in the cause?”

“Yes.”

“It’s the greatest of all causes.”

“I’m rather inclined to think it is.”

“Why not give yourself, then?  You are free.  I have given myself, my child.”

“Yes,” said Audrey, who resented the appellation of “child.”  “But, you see, it’s your hobby.”

“My hobby, Mrs. Moncreiff!” exclaimed Rosamund.

“Certainly, your hobby,” Audrey persisted.

“I have sacrificed everything to it,” said Rosamund.

“Pardon me,” said Audrey.  “I don’t think you’ve sacrificed anything to it.  You just enjoy bossing other people above everything, and it gives you every chance to boss.  And you enjoy plots too, and look at the chances you get for that’.  Mind you, I like you for it.  I think you’re splendid.  Only I don’t want to be a monomaniac, and I won’t be.”  Her convictions seemed to have become suddenly clear and absolutely decided.

“Do you mean to infer that I am a monomaniac?” asked Rosamund, raising her eyebrows—­but only a little.

“Well,” said Audrey, “as you mentioned frankness—­what else would you call yourself but a monomaniac?  You only live for one thing—­don’t you, now?”

“It is the greatest thing.”

“I don’t say it isn’t,” Audrey admitted.  “But I’ve been thinking a good deal about all this, and at last I’ve come to the conclusion that one thing-isn’t enough for me, not nearly enough.  And I’m not going to be peculiar at any price.  Neither a fanatic nor a monomaniac, nor anything like that.”

“You are in love,” asserted Rosamund.