of it, for there is a door through on to the landing, and as we came up
I noticed that it was ajar. Or if you like you can appear from between
the curtains like an infuriated husband on the stage and play whatever
_role_ occasion may demand. Really the situation has a laughable side.
I should enjoy it immensely if _I_ were behind the curtain too. Come, in
you go."

Bottles hesitated. "I can't hide," he said.

"Nonsense; remember how much depends on it. All is fair in love or war.
Quick; here she comes."

Bottles grew flurried and yielded, scarcely knowing what he did. In
another second he was in the darkened room behind the curtains, through
the crack in which he could command the lighted scene before him, and
Sir Eustace was back at his place before the fire, reflecting that in
his ardour to extricate his brother from what he considered a suicidal
engagement he had let himself in for a very pretty undertaking. Suppose
she accepted him, his brother would be furious, and he would probably
have to go abroad to get out of the lady's way; and suppose she refused
him, he would look a fool.

Meanwhile the sweep, sweep of Madeline's dress as she passed down the
stairs was drawing nearer, and in another instant she was in the room.
She was beautifully dressed in silver-grey silk, plentifully trimmed
with black lace, and cut square back and front so as to show her rounded
shoulders. She wore no ornaments, being one of the few women who are
able to dispense with them, unless indeed a red camellia pinned in the
front of her dress can be called an ornament. Bottles, shivering with
shame and doubt behind his curtain, marked that red camellia, and