"That is not true. You tell me that I have ruined your career in the
army. I did not know I was doing it. Can you believe me?"

And, as he made no response: "I did not dream you would have to resign.
Do you believe me?"

"There is no choice," he said coldly. "Drop the subject!"

"That is brutal. I never thought--" She forced a smile and drew her
glass toward her. The straw-tinted wine slopped over and frothed on the
white skin of her arm.

"Well," she breathed, "this ghastly dinner is nearly ended."

He nodded pleasantly.

"And--Phil?"--a bit tremulous.

"What?"

"Was it all my fault? I mean in the beginning? I've wanted to ask you
that--to know your view of it. Was it?"

"No. It was mine, most of it."

"Not all--not half! We did not know how; that is the wretched
explanation of it all."

"And we could never have learned; that's the rest of the answer. But the
fault is not there."