Chapter 12 - Page 2

me so
herself," he said.

"It wasn't to tell you so that I wanted to see you," I replied;
"for it seemed to me that such a communication would rest wholly
with herself. If however she did speak to you of our conversation
she probably told you I was discouraging."

"Discouraging?"

"On the subject of a present application of The Coxon Fund."

"To the case of Mr. Saltram? My dear fellow, I don't know what you
call discouraging!" Gravener cried.

"Well I thought I was, and I thought she thought I was."

"I believe she did, but such a thing's measured by the effect.
She's not 'discouraged,'" he said.

"That's her own affair. The reason I asked you to see me was that
it appeared to me I ought to tell you frankly that--decidedly!--I
can't undertake to produce that effect. In fact I don't want to!"

"It's very good of you, damn you!" my visitor laughed, red and
really grave. Then he said: "You'd like to see that scoundrel
publicly glorified--perched on the pedestal of a great
complimentary pension?"

I braced myself. "Taking one form of public recognition with
another it seems to me on the whole I should be able to bear it.
When I see the compliments that are paid right and left I ask
myself why this one shouldn't take its course. This therefore is
what you're entitled to have looked to me to mention to you. I've
some evidence that perhaps would be really dissuasive, but I
propose to invite Mss Anvoy to remain in ignorance of it."

"And to invite me to do the same?"

"Oh you don't require it--you've evidence enough. I speak of a
sealed letter that I've been requested to deliver to her."

"And you don't mean to?"

"There's only one consideration that would make me," I said.

Gravener's clear handsome eyes plunged into mine a minute, but
evidently without fishing up a clue to this motive--a failure by
which I was almost wounded. "What does the letter contain?"

"It's sealed, as I tell you, and I don't know what it contains."

"Why is it sent through you?"

"Rather than you?" I wondered how to put the thing. "The only
explanation I can think of is that the person sending it may have
imagined your relations with Miss Anvoy to be at an end--may have
been told this is the case by Mrs. Saltram."

"My relations with Miss Anvoy are not at an end," poor Gravener
stammered.

Again for an instant I thought. "The offer I propose to make you
gives me the right to address you a question remarkably direct.
Are you still engaged to Miss Anvoy?"

"No, I'm not," he slowly brought out. "But we're perfectly good
friends."

"Such good friends that you'll again become prospective husband and
wife if the