Chapter 7 - Page 2

travelling from Sirius to Arcturus in one of those profound gulfs of the void which Hardy talks about. It was overpowering.'

'I can never forget it.'

'We'll go again to-night.'

'But the blisters!'

'Hang the blisters! And we'll take some bait with us and try to catch something.'

'What fun!'

'And we'll drive to Rottingdean this afternoon, if you feel inclined. Have this last cutlet, dear!'

'No, thank you.'

'Well, it seems a pity to waste it. Here goes! By the way, Maude, I must speak very severely to you. I can't if you look at me like that. But really, joking apart, you must be more careful before the waiters.'

'Why, dear?'

'Well, we have carried it off splendidly so far. No one has found us out yet, and no one will if we are reasonably careful. The fat waiter is convinced that we are veterans. But last night at dinner you very nearly gave the thing away.'

'Did I, Frank?'

'Don't look so sweetly penitent, you blessing. The fact is that you make a shocking bad conspirator. Now I have a kind of talent for that, as I have for every other sort of depravity, so it will be pretty safe in my hands. You are as straight as a line by nature, and you can't be crooked when you try.'

'But what did I say? Oh, I AM so sorry! I tried to be so careful.'

'Well, about the curry, you know. It was an error of judgment to ask if I took chutnee. And then . . . '

'Something else?'

'About the boots. Did I get them in London or Woking.'

'Oh dear, dear!'

'And then . . . '

'Not another! O Frank!'

'Well, the use of the word "my." You must give that word up. It should be "our."'

'I know, I know. It was when I said that the salt water had taken the curl out of the feather in my--no, in our--well, in THE hat.'

'That was all right. But it is OUR luggage, you know, and OUR room, and so on.'

'Of course it is. How foolish I am! Then the waiter knows! O Frank, what shall we do?'

'Not he. He knows nothing. I am sure of it. He is a dull sort of person. I had my eye on him all the time. Besides, I threw in a few remarks just to set the thing right.'

'That was when you spoke about our travels in the Tyrol?'

'Yes.'

'O Frank, how COULD you? And you said how lonely it was when we were the only visitors at the Swiss hotel.'

'That was an inspiration. That finished him.'

'And about the closeness of the Atlantic staterooms. I blushed to hear you.'

'But he listened eagerly to it all. I could see it.'

'I wonder if he really believed it. I have noticed that the maids and the waiters seem to look at us with a certain interest.'

'My dear girlie, you will find as you go through life that every man will always look at you with a certain