‘You must tell him.  Don’t you owe it me?’

’By God, I can’t do that! —­ I can’t do that!  Have her here, before us both.  Shame her and threaten her as much as you like; but don’t tell Rolfe.  It’s like you and me, Sibyl.  Suppose she has really done no wrong, and we put that thought into his mind?’

‘Have you lost all your senses?’ she exclaimed passionately.  ’Must I keep reminding you what she has done to me?  Is a woman that will behave in that way likely to be innocent?  Is her husband to be kept in the dark about her, deceived, cheated?  I can’t understand you.  If you are too cowardly to do your plain duty —­ Hugh, how am I talking?  You make me forget myself.  But you know that it’s impossible to spare your friend.  It wouldn’t be just to him.  Here’s a form; write the telegram at once.’

‘Write it yourself,’ he answered, in a low, nerveless voice, moving away again.

It was quickly done, though Sibyl paused to reflect after the first word or two.  The message ran thus ——­

’I want to see you and Mrs. Rolfe before going away.  Please both come this evening if possible.  If you cannot, reply when.’

Without showing what she had written, she left the room, and despatched a servant to the post-office.

CHAPTER 12

As a last resource against Cecil Morphew’s degeneration, Harvey had given up his daily work in Westminster Bridge Road.  ’I shall go no more,’ he wrote.  ’I am quite unable to manage the business alone, and if you won’t attend to it, it must smash.  But please to remember that I took a share on certain conditions.’  For a week he had stayed at home.  Morphew did not reply, but the fact that no appeals arrived from the trusty shopman seemed to prove that this last step had been effectual.  This morning Rolfe was half-minded to go up to town, but decided that he had better not.  Thus the telegram from Oxford and Cambridge Mansions came into his hands at about twelve o’clock.

Alma, after giving Hughie his morning’s lesson, had gone out with him for an hour.  As soon as she returned, Harvey showed her the message.

‘Why does he want both of us to go?’ he asked uneasily.

Alma merely shook her head, as if the matter interested her very little, and turned to leave the room again.

‘I think I had better go alone,’ said Harvey, his eyes on the telegram.

‘Just as you like,’ answered Alma, and withdrew.

She spent the afternoon much as usual.  Rolfe had said at lunch that he would go to Carnaby’s immediately after dinner.  Mrs. Langland and one of her daughters called; they thought Mrs. Rolfe rather absent-minded, but noticed nothing else.  At dinner-time she said carelessly to her husband ——­

‘I think I had better go with you, as I was asked.’

‘No, no; I think not.’

’I had rather, Harvey, if you don’t mind.  I am quite ready; shall only have to put my hat on.’