Gradually “the whole horror of her situation”—­to borrow from her own vocabulary—­forced itself upon her mind like damp through a gay wall-paper.  What did it matter how the discovery had been made!  It was made, and she was ruined.  She repeated the words between little gasps for breath.  Ruined!  Her reputation lost!  Hers—­Violet Newhaven’s.  It was a sheer impossibility that such a thing could have happened to a woman like her.  It was some vile slander which Edward must see to.  He was good at that sort of thing.  But no, Edward would not help her.  She had committed—­She flung out her hands, panic-stricken, as if to ward off a blow.  The deed had brought with it no shame, but the word—­the word wounded her like a sword.

Her feeble mind, momentarily stunned, pursued its groping way.

He would divorce her.  It would be in the papers.  But no.  What was that he had said to Hugh—­“No names to be mentioned; all scandal avoided.”

She shivered and drew in her breath.  It was to be settled some other way.  Her mind became an entire blank.  Another way!  What way?  She remembered now, and an inarticulate cry broke from her.  They had drawn lots.

Which had drawn the short lighter?

Her husband had laughed.  But then he laughed at everything.  He was never really serious, always shallow and heartless.  He would have laughed if he had drawn it himself.  Perhaps he had.  Yes, he certainly had drawn it.  But Hugh?  She saw again the white, set face as he passed her.  No; it must be Hugh who had drawn it—­Hugh, whom she loved.  She wrung her hands and moaned, half aloud: 

“Which?  Which?”

There was a slight movement in the next room, the door was opened, and Lord Newhaven appeared in the door-way.  He was still in evening dress.

“Did you call?” he said, quietly.  “Are you ill?” He came and stood beside her.

“No,” she said, hoarsely, and she sat up and gazed fixedly at him.  Despair and suspense were in her eyes.  There was no change in his, and she remembered that she had never seen him angry.  Perhaps she had not known when he was angry.

He was turning away, but she stopped him.  “Wait,” she said, and he returned, his cold, attentive eye upon her.  There was no contempt, no indignation in his bearing.  If those feelings had shaken him, it must have been some time ago.  If they had been met and vanquished in secret, that also must have been some time ago.  He took up an Imitation of Christ, bound in the peculiar shade of lilac which at that moment prevailed, and turned it in his hand.

“You are overwrought,” he said, after a moment’s pause, “and I particularly dislike a scene.”

She did not heed him.

“I listened at the door,” she said, in a harsh, unnatural voice.

“I am perfectly aware of it.”

A sort of horror seemed to have enveloped the familiar room.  The very furniture looked like well-known words arranged suddenly in some new and dreadful meaning.