He
did not; and it is my belief that, throughout the events which I
have recorded, he retained, and that he still retains, the
conviction that Miss Liston's interest in him was purely literary
and artistic, and that she devoted herself to his society simply
because he offered an interesting problem and an inspiring theme.
An ingenious charity may find in that attitude evidence of
modesty; to my thinking, it argues a more subtle and magnificent
conceit than if he had fathomed the truth, as many humbler men in
his place would have done.
On the day after the engagement was accomplished Miss Liston left
us to return to London. She came out in her hat and jacket
and sat down by me; the carriage was to be round in ten minutes.
She put on her gloves slowly and buttoned them carefully. This
done, she said:
"By the way, Mr. Wynne, I've adopted your suggestion. The man
doesn't find out."
"Then you've made him a fool?" I asked bluntly.
"No," she answered. "I--I think it might happen though he wasn't
a fool."
She sat with her hands in her lap for a moment or two, then she
went on, in a lower voice:
"I'm going to make him find out afterward."
I felt her glance on me, but I looked straight in front of me.
"What, after he's married the shallow girl?"
"Yes," said Miss Liston.
"Rather too late, isn't it? At least, if you mean there is to be
a happy ending."
Miss Liston enlaced her fingers.
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