 him to me, will you?«
    Cecily made known this request to her husband, and there followed another
long dialogue between them, the only result of which was to increase their
mutual coldness. Cecily proposed that they should at once leave town, instead of
waiting for the end of the season; in this way all their difficulties would be
obviated. Elgar declined the proposal; he had no desire to spoil her social
pleasures.
    »That is already done, past help,« Cecily rejoined, with the first note of
bitterness. »I no longer care to visit, nor to receive guests.«
    »I noticed the other day your ingenuity in revenging yourself.«
    »I say nothing but the simple truth. Had you rather I went out and enjoyed
myself without any reference to your wishes?«
    »From the first you made up your mind to misunderstand me,« said Reuben,
with the common evasion of one who cannot defend his course.
    Cecily brought the dispute to an end by her silence. The next morning Reuben
went to see Mrs. Lessingham, and heard what she had to say about Mrs. Travis.
    »What is your evidence against her?« she inquired, after a little banter.
    »Some one who knows Travis very well assured me that the fault was not all
on his side.«
    »Of course. It is more to the point to hear what those have to say who know
his wife. Surely you acted with extraordinary haste.«
    With characteristic weakness, Elgar defended himself by detailing the course
of events. It was not he who had been precipitate, but Cecily; he was never more
annoyed than when he heard of that foolish letter.
    »Go home and persuade her to write another,« said Mrs. Lessingham. »Let her
confess that there was a misunderstanding. I am sure Mrs. Travis will accept it.
She has a curious character; very sensitive, and very impulsive, but essentially
trustful and warm-hearted. You should have heard the pathetic surprise with
which she told me of Cecily's letter.«
    »I should rather have imagined her speaking contemptuously.«
    »It would have been excusable,« replied the other, with a laugh. »And very
likely that would have been her tone had it concerned any one else. But she has
a liking for Cecily. Go home, and get this foolish mistake remedied, there's a
good boy.«
    Elgar left the house and walked eastward, into Praed Street. As he walked,
he grew less and less inclined to go home at once
