‘I tell you I’m quite serious,’ said the other angrily.  ’I know that’s the explanation of it!  There are plenty of good and honest people still, but they can’t help getting mixed up among the vilest lot on the face of the earth.  That’s why I don’t like my wife to make new acquaintances. She won’t get any harm, but I hate to think of the people she perhaps meets.  Mackintosh was telling me of a woman in London who keeps up a big house and entertains all sorts of people —­ and her husband knows where the money comes from.  He wouldn’t mention her name, because, by Jove, he had himself contributed to the expenses of the establishment!  It was three or four years ago, when he had his money and ran through it.  For all I know, Sibyl may go there —­ I can’t tell her about such things, and she wouldn’t believe me if I did.  She’s an idealist —­ sees everything through poetry and philosophy.  I should be a brute if I soiled her mind.  And, I say, old man, why don’t your wife and she see more of each other?  Is it just the distance?’

‘I’m afraid that has something to do with it,’ Harvey replied, trying to speak naturally.

’I’m sorry.  They’re both of them too good for ordinary society.  I wish to God we could all four of us go out to a place I know in Tasmania, and live honest, clean, rational lives!  Can’t be managed.  Your wife has her music; Sibyl has her books and so on ——­’

‘By-the-bye, you know Mrs. Strangeways?’

‘I know of her.’

‘And not much good?’

’No particular harm.  Sibyl saw a little of her, but I don’t think they meet now.  Your wife know her?’ ’She has met her here and there:  you and I are alike in that.  We can’t stand the drawing-room, so our wives have to go about by themselves.  The days are past when a man watched over his wife’s coming and going as a matter of course.  We should only make fools of ourselves if we tried it on.  It’s the new world, my boy; we live in it, and must make the best of it.’

Hugh Carnaby drank more wine than is usually taken at luncheon.  It excited him to boisterous condemnation of things in general.  He complained of the idleness that was forced upon him, except when he could get down to Coventry.

’I hang about for whole days doing literally nothing.  What should I do?  I’m not the man for books; I can’t get much sport nowadays; I don’t care for billiards.  I want to have an axe in my hand!’

Gesticulating carelessly, he swept a wine-glass off the table.

’There —­ damn it! shows we’ve sat long enough.  Come and talk to Sibyl, and let her give you a cup of tea.  You never see her —­ never; yet she thinks better of you than of any other man we know.  Come, let’s get out of this beastly air.  The place reeks of onions.’

They went to Oxford and Cambridge Mansions, where Rolfe spent the time until he had to leave for his appointment with Cecil Morphew.  Sibyl was very kind, but gently reproachful.  Why had Alma forsaken her?  Why did Harvey himself never drop in?