He heard and for the first time his face broke, as it were. All this
while it had remained masklike and immovable, even when he spoke of his
love, but now it broke as ice breaks at the pressure of a sudden flood
beneath, and she saw the depths and eddies of his nature and understood
their strength. Not that he revealed them in speech, angry or pleading,
for that remained calm and measured enough. She did not hear, she saw,
and even then it was marvellous to her that a mere change in a man's
expression could explain so much.

"Those are very cruel words," he said. "Are they unalterable?"

"Quite. I do not play in such matters, it would be wicked."

"May I ask you one question, for if the answer is in the negative, I
shall still continue to hope? Do you care for any other man?"

Again she looked at him with her fearless eyes and answered:

"Yes, I am engaged to another man."

"To Alan Vernon?"

She nodded.

"When did that happen? Some years ago?"

"No, this morning."

"Great Heavens!" he muttered in a hoarse voice turning his head away,
"this morning. Then last night it might not have been too late, and last