’In moderation.  And first of all, yours.

Tarrant met her eyes.

‘Of my society, you have quite as much as is good for you,’ he answered amiably.  ’That you should wish for acquaintances, is reasonable enough.  Take a house somewhere in the western suburbs.  One or two men I know have decent wives, and you shall meet them.’

‘But you?  You won’t live with me?’

‘You know my view of that matter.’

Nancy kept her eyes down, and reflected.

‘Will it be known to everybody that we don’t live together?’

‘Well,’ answered Tarrant, with a laugh, ’by way of example, I should rather like it to be known; but as I know you wouldn’t like it, let the appearances be as ordinary as you please.’

Again Nancy reflected.  She had a struggle with herself.

‘Just one question,’ she said at length.  ’Look me in the face.  Are you—­ever so little—­ashamed of me?’

He regarded her steadily, smiling.

‘Not in the least.’

‘You were—­you used to be?’

’Before I knew you; and before I knew myself.  When, in fact, you were a notable young lady of Camberwell, and I—­’

He paused to puff at his pipe.

‘And you?’

‘A notable young fool of nowhere at all.’