Mrs. Maskell smiled and shook her head.

‘What words did you hear?’

‘Oh —­ talk.  Nothing very particular.’

‘I want to know what it was.’

’Well, as far as I could make out, Mrs. Carnaby was going to get a bicycle, and wanted to know what was the best.  Not much harm in that,’ she added, with a silent laugh.

Hugh sat with his hands on his knees, bending forward.  He said nothing for a minute or two, and at length looked to the window.

‘You were going back to Wimbledon?’

‘Yes.  I have only been in town for an hour or two.’

‘Is Redgrave there?’

‘No; he’s away.’

’Very well; I am going with you.  You will find out for me on what date that happened.’

‘Certainly.  But what is the understanding between us?’

Hugh saw too well that any threat would be idle.  Whether this woman had told the truth or not, her position in Redgrave’s house, and the fact of Redgrave’s connection with the firm of Mackintosh —­ of which she evidently was not aware —­ put it in her power to strike a fatal blow at Sibyl.  He still assured himself that she was lying —­ how doubt it and maintain his sanity? —­ but the lie had a terrible support in circumstances.  Who could hear this story without admitting the plausibility of its details?  A man such as Redgrave, wealthy and a bachelor; a woman such as Sibyl, beautiful, fond of luxurious living; her husband in an embarrassed position —­ how was it that he, a man of the world, had never seen things in this light?  Doubtless his anxiety had blinded him; that, and his absolute faith in Sibyl, and Redgrave’s frank friendliness.  Even if he obtained (as he would) complete evidence of Sibyl’s honesty, Mrs. Maskell could still dare him to take a step against her.  How many people were at her mercy?  He might be sure that she would long ago have stood in the dock but for her ability to make scandalous and ruinous revelations.  Did Redgrave know that he had a high-class criminal in his employment?  Possibly he knew it well enough.  There was no end to the appalling suggestiveness of this discovery.  Hugh remembered what he had said in talk with Harvey Rolfe about the rottenness of society.  Never had he felt himself so much a coward as in face of this woman, whose shameless smile covered secrets and infamies innumerable.

The cabman was bidden drive on to Wimbledon, and, with long pauses, the dialogue continued for an hour.  Hugh interrogated and cross-examined his companion on every matter of which she could be induced to speak, yet he learned very little in detail concerning either her own life or Redgrave’s; Mrs. Maskell was not to be driven to any disclosure beyond what was essential to her own purpose.  By dint of skilful effrontery she had gained the upper hand, and no longer felt the least fear of him.

‘If I believed you,’ said Carnaby, at a certain point of their conversation, ’I should have you arrested straight away.  It wouldn’t matter to me how the thing came out; it would be public property before long.’