When the door closed, the woman who had just left him seemed like some one
he had seen in a dream; and still more shadowy and illusive did the girl
seem--that pale and plaintive beauty, looking like a pastel, who had so
troubled him with her enigmatic eyes! And the lodging-house that he had
left only a few hours ago! and Rose.

On Sunday he had taken Rose out to dinner. They dined at the Café-Royal. He
had tried to talk to her about Hamilton Brown's new drama, which they had
just heard would follow _Divorce_; but he was unable to detach his thoughts
from Ashwood and the ladies he was going to visit to-morrow evening. Hubert
and Rose had felt like two school-fellows, one of whom is leaving school;
the link that had bound them had snapped; henceforth their ways lay
separate; and they were sad at parting just as school-friends are sad.

'You are not rich; you offered to lend me money once. I want to lend you
some now.'

'Oh yes; five shillings, wasn't it?'

'It doesn't matter what the sum was--we were both very poor then----'

'And I'm still poorer now.'

'All the more reason why you should allow me to help you.... Allow me to
write you a cheque for a hundred pounds. I assure you I can afford it.'

'I think I had better not.... I have some things I can sell.'

'But you must not sell your things. Indeed, you must allow me----'