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nard's　part；　a　sufficiently　coherent　view　of　the　case；　but　nevertheless；　an　hour　afterward；　as　he　strolled　along　the　Lichtenthal　Alley；　he　found　himself　stopping　suddenly　and　exclaiming　under　his　breath〃Have　I　done　her　an　injury？　Have　I　affected　her　prospects？〃　　Later　in　the　day　he　said　to　himself　half　a　dozen　times　that　he　had　simply　warned　Gordon　against　an　incongruous　union。






CHAPTER　XV

Now　that　gordon　was　gone；　at　any　rate；　gone　for　good；　and　not　to　return；　he　felt　a　sudden　and　singular　sense　of　freedom。　It　was　a　feeling　of　unbounded　expansion；　quite　out　of　proportion；　as　he　said　to　himself；　to　any　assignable　cause。　Everything　suddenly　appeared　to　have　become　very　optional；　but　he　was　quite　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　his　liberty。　It　seemed　a　harmless　use　to　make　of　it；　in　the　afternoon；　to　go　and　pay　another　visit　to　the　ladies　who　lived　at　the　confectioner's。　Here；　however；　he　met　a　reception　which　introduced　a　fresh　element　of　perplexity　into　the　situation　that　Gordon　had　left　behind　him。　　The　door　was　opened　to　him　by　Mrs。　Vivian's　maid…servant；　a　sturdy　daughter　of　the　Schwartzwald；　who　informed　him　that　the　ladieswith　much　regretwere　unable　to　receive　any　one。

〃They　are　very　busyand　they　are　ill；〃　said　the　young　woman；　by　way　of　explanation。

Bernard　was　disappointed；　and　he　felt　like　arguing　the　case。

〃Surely；〃　he　said；　〃they　are　not　both　ill　and　busy！　　When　you　make　excuses；　you　should　make　them　agree　with　each　other。〃

The　Teutonic　soubrette　fixed　her　round　blue　eyes　a　minute　upon　the　patch　of　blue　sky　revealed　to　her　by　her　open　door。

〃I　say　what　I　can；　lieber　Herr。　　It　's　not　my　fault　if　I　'm　not　so　clever　as　a　French　mamsell。　　One　of　the　ladies　is　busy；　the　other　is　ill。　There　you　have　it。〃

〃Not　quite；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃You　must　remember　that　there　are　three　of　them。〃

〃Oh；　the　little　onethe　little　one　weeps。〃

〃Miss　Evers　weeps！〃　exclaimed　Bernard；　to　whom　the　vision　of　this　young　lady　in　tears　had　never　presented　itself。

〃That　happens　to　young　ladies　when　they　are　unhappy；〃　said　the　girl；　and　with　an　artless　yet　significant　smile　she　carried　a　big　red　hand　to　the　left　side　of　a　broad　bosom。

〃I　am　sorry　she　is　unhappy；　but　which　of　the　other　ladies　is　ill？〃

〃The　mother　is　very　busy。〃

〃And　the　daughter　is　ill？〃

The　young　woman　looked　at　him　an　instant；　smiling　again；　and　the　light　in　her　little　blue　eyes　indicated　confusion；　but　not　perversity。

〃No；　the　mamma　is　ill；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃and　the　daughter　is　very　busy。　They　are　preparing　to　leave　Baden。〃

〃To　leave　Baden？　　When　do　they　go？〃

〃I　don't　quite　know；　lieber　Herr；　but　very　soon。〃

With　this　information　Bernard　turned　away。　　He　was　rather　surprised；　but　he　reflected　that　Mrs。　Vivian　had　not　proposed　to　spend　her　life　on　the　banks　of　the　Oos；　and　that　people　were　leaving　Baden　every　day　in　the　year。　　In　the　evening；　at　the　Kursaal；　he　met　Captain　Lovelock；　who　was　wandering　about　with　an　air　of　explosive　sadness。

〃Damn　it；　they　're　goingyes；　they　're　going；〃　said　the　Captain；　after　the　two　young　men　had　exchanged　a　few　allusions　to　current　events。　〃Fancy　their　leaving　us　in　that　heartless　manner！　　It　's　not　the　time　to　run　awayit　's　the　time　to　keep　your　rooms；　if　you　're　so　lucky　as　to　have　any。　　The　races　begin　next　week　and　there　'll　be　a　tremendous　crowd。　All　the　grand…ducal　people　are　coming。　　Miss　Evers　wanted　awfully　to　see　the　Grand　Duke；　and　I　promised　her　an　introduction。　　I　can't　make　out　what　Mrs。　Vivian　is　up　to。　　I　bet　you　a　ten…pound　note　she　's　giving　chase。　Our　friend　Wright　has　come　back　and　gone　off　again；　and　Mrs。　Vivian　means　to　strike　camp　and　follow。　　She　'll　pot　him　yet；　you　see　if　she　does　n't！〃

〃She　is　running　away　from　you；　dangerous　man！〃　said　Bernard。

〃Do　you　mean　on　account　of　Miss　Evers？　　Well；　I　admire　Miss　Evers　I　don't　mind　admitting　that；　but　I　ain't　dangerous；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock；　with　a　lustreless　eye。　〃How　can　a　fellow　be　dangerous　when　he　has　n't　ten　shillings　in　his　pocket？　　Desperation；　do　you　call　it？　　But　Miss　Evers　has　n't　money；　so　far　as　I　have　heard。　　I　don't　ask　you；〃　Lovelock　continued〃I　don't　care　a　damn　whether　she　has　or　not。　She　's　a　devilish　charming　girl；　and　I　don't　mind　telling　you　I　'm　hit。　　I　stand　no　chanceI　know　I　stand　no　chance。　Mrs。　Vivian　's　down　on　me；　and；　by　Jove；　Mrs。　Vivian　's　right。　I　'm　not　the　husband　to　pick　out　for　a　young　woman　of　expensive　habits　and　no　expectations。　　Gordon　Wright's　the　sort　of　young　man　that　's　wanted；　and；　hang　me；　if　Mrs。　Vivian　did　n't　want　him　so　much　for　her　own　daughter；　I　believe　she　'd　try　and　bag　him　for　the　little　one。　　Gad；　I　believe　that　to　keep　me　off　she　would　like　to　cut　him　in　two　and　give　half　to　each　of　them！　I　'm　afraid　of　that　little　woman。　　She　has　got　a　little　voice　like　a　screw…driver。　But　for　all　that；　if　I　could　get　away　from　this　cursed　place；　I　would　keep　the　girl　in　sight　hang　me　if　I　would　n't！　I　'd　cut　the　racesdash　me　if　I　would　n't！　But　I　'm　in　pawn；　if　you　know　what　that　means。　I　owe　a　beastly　lot　of　money　at　the　inn；　and　that　impudent　little　beggar　of　a　landlord　won't　let　me　out　of　his　sight。　The　luck　's　dead　against　me　at　those　filthy　tables；　I　have　n't　won　a　farthing　in　three　weeks。　　I　wrote　to　my　brother　the　other　day；　and　this　morning　I　got　an　answer　from　him　a　cursed；　canting　letter　of　good　advice；　remarking　that　he　had　already　paid　my　debts　seven　times。　　It　does　n't　happen　to　be　seven；　it　's　only　six；　or　six　and　a　half！　　Does　he　expect　me　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　at　the　Hotel　de　Hollande？　　Perhaps　he　would　like　me　to　engage　as　a　waiter　there　and　pay　it　off　by　serving　at　the　table　d'hote。　It　would　be　convenient　for　him　the　next　time　he　comes　abroad　with　his　seven　daughters　and　two　governesses。　I　hate　the　smell　of　their　beastly　table　d'hote！　You　're　sorry　I　'm　hard　up？　　I　'm　sure　I　'm　much　obliged　to　you。　Can　you　be　of　any　service？　　My　dear　fellow；　if　you　are　bent　on　throwing　your　money　about　the　place　I　'm　not　the　man　to　stop　you。〃　Bernard's　winnings　of　the　previous　night　were　burning　a　hole；　as　the　phrase　is；　in　his　pocket。　　Ten　thousand　francs　had　never　before　seemed　to　him　so　heavy　a　load　to　carry；　and　to　lighten　the　weight　of　his　good　luck　by　lending　fifty　pounds　to　a　less　fortunate　fellow…player　was　an　operation　that　not　only　gratified　his　good…nature　but　strongly　commended　itself　to　his　conscience。　His　conscience；　however；　made　its　conditions。　　〃My　dear　Longueville；〃　Lovelock　went　on；　〃I　have　always　gone　in　for　family　feeling；　early　associations；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　　That　's　what　made　me　confide　my　difficulties　to　Dovedale。　　But；　upon　my　honor；　you　remind　me　of　the　good　Samaritan；　or　that　sort　of　person；　you　are　fonder　of　me　than　my　own　brother！　　I　'll　take　fifty　pounds　with　pleasure；　thank　you；　and　you　shall　have　them　again　at　the　earliest　opportunity。　　My　earliest　convenience　will　that　do？　　Damn　it；　it　is　a　convenience；　is　n't　it？　You　make　your　conditions。　　My　dear　fellow；　I　accept　them　in　advance。　That　I　'm　not　to　follow　up　Miss　Eversis　that　what　you　mean？　Have　you　been　commissioned　by　the　family　to　buy　me　off？　It　's　devilish　cruel　to　take　advantage　of　my　poverty！　　Though　I　'm　poor；　I　'm　honest。　　But　I　am　honest；　my　dear　Longueville；　that　's　the　point。　　I　'll　give　you　my　word；　and　I　'll　keep　it。　I　won't　go　near　that　girl　againI　won't　think　of　her　till　I　've　got　rid　of　your　fifty　pounds。　　It　's　a　dreadful　encouragement　to　extravagance；　but　that　's　your　lookout。　I　'll　stop　for　their　beastly　races　and　the　young　lady　shall　be　sacred。〃

Longueville　called　the　next　morning　at　Mrs。　Vivian's；　and　learned　that　the　three　ladies　had　left　Baden　by　the　early　train；　a　couple　of　hours　before。　　This　fact　produced　in　his　mind　a　variety　of　emotionssurprise；　annoyance；　embarrassment。　In　spite　of　his　effort　to　think　it　natural　they　should　go；　he　found　something　precipitate　and　inexplicable　in　the　manner　of　their　going；　and　he　declared　to　himself　that　one　of　the　party；　at　least；　had　been　unkind　and　ungracious　in　not　giving　him　a　chance　to　say　good…bye。　He　took　refuge　by　anticipation；　as　it　were；　in　this　reflection；　whenever；　for　the　next　three　or　four　days；　he　foresaw　himself　stopping　short；　as　he　had　done　before；　and　asking　himself　whether　he　had　done　an　injury　to　Angela　Vivian。　This　was　an　idle　and　unpractical　question；　inasmuch　as　the　answer　was　not　forthcoming；　whereas　it　was　quite　simple　and　conclusive　to　say；　without　the　note　of　interrogation；　that　she　was；　in　spite　of　many　attractive　points；　an　abrupt　and　capricious　young　woman。　　During　the　three　or　four　days　in　question；　Bernard　lingered　on　at　Baden；　uncertain　what　to　do　or　where　to　go；　feeling　as　if　he　had　received　a　sudden　check　a　sort　of　spiritual　snubwhich　arrested　the　accumulation　of　motive。　　Lovelock；　also；　whom　Bernard　saw　every　day；　appeared　to　think　that　destiny　had　given　him　a　slap　in　the　face；　for　he　had　not　enjoyed　the　satisfaction　of　a　last　interview　with　Miss　Evers。

〃I　thought　she　might　have　written　me　a　note；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃but　it　appears　she　does　n't　write。　　Some　girls　don't　write；　you　know。〃

Bernard　remarked　that　it　was　possible　Lovelock　would　still　have　news　of　Miss　Blanche；　and　before　he　left　Baden　he　learned　that　she　had　addressed　her　forsaken　swain　a　charming　little　note　from　La