So far her search for any position had been fruitless.  She had gone to other agencies; to some whose greatly reduced fees were a sure indication that she could hope for nothing so “high class,” to use their hateful phrase, as she had been accustomed to.  But one must do what one could.

At one establishment, she shuddered to remember, she found that she would be expected to sit in the office, as at the servants’ agencies, to be inspected by prospective employers.  This, Nora had flatly refused to do and had been coolly informed by the manager, an insufferable young man with a loud voice and a vulgar manner, that in that case he could do nothing for her.

He had at the same time refused to return her fee, which he had providently collected before explaining these conditions, on the ground that they never returned fees.  Nora had been glad enough to make her escape from his hateful presence without arguing the matter with him, although she considered that, to all intents and purposes, her pocket had been picked.

Apparently everyone in the world was already supplied with a companion.  She had thought of filing an application for the position of nursery governess, only to find that, for a really good post, two modern languages would be required.  That, coupled with the fact that she was obliged to confess to absolutely no previous experience in teaching, closed the door to even second-class appointments.

And the desolating loneliness of it all!  Only once in all this time had she seen anyone she knew, and that was shortly after her arrival while still in the first flush of her newly regained freedom.  She had gone with a young woman who was staying at the hotel for a few days to the gallery of a theater.  From her lofty perch she had seen Reggie Hornby with a gay party of young men in the stalls below.  Evidently he was making the most of his last hours at home before going into exile.

Since leaving the hotel she had exchanged but few words with anyone beyond her landlady, the little slavey and the people at the various agencies.  Once, it chanced that for several days in succession she had lunched at the same table in a dingy little restaurant with a fresh, pleasant-looking young girl, who had said ‘Good morning’ in such a friendly manner on their second encounter that Nora felt encouraged to begin conversation.

Her new acquaintance had the gift of a sympathetic manner and before Nora realized it she found herself relating the story of her failures and disappointments.  Miss Hodson—­so Nora discovered she was called from the very business-like card she had handed her at the beginning of the repast, with an air which for the moment relapsed from the sympathetic to the professional—­had suggested when they had finished their lunch that, as she still had a quarter of an hour to spare, they might go and finish their chat in one of the little green oases abutting on the Embankment.  Seated on one of the benches she proceeded to advise her companion to take up stenography and typewriting while she was still in funds.