'Only pretty well? Won't you come in for a few minutes?... So the piece
didn't go very well to-night?'

'Oh yes, it did. I've seen it go better; but----'

'Did you get a call?'

'Yes, after the second act.'

'Not after the third?'

'No. That act never goes well. Harding came behind; I was speaking to him,
and he said something which struck me as being very true. Ford, he said,
plays the part a great deal too seriously. When the piece was first
produced, it was played more good-humouredly by indifferent actors, who let
the thing run without trying to bring out every point. Ford makes it as
hard as nails. I think those were his exact words.'

Hubert did not answer. At the end of a long silence he said,--

'Did you hear anything about the last night's?'

'No,' she said; 'I heard nothing of that.'

'Ford appeared quite satisfied then?'

'Yes, quite,' she answered, with difficulty; for his eyes were fixed on
her, and she felt he knew she was not telling the truth. The conversation
paused again, and to turn it into another channel she said, 'Why, you have