His first movement of alarm had passed, and now he affected to take the matter with indifference.

During the week immediately following his marriage he had been prepared for this very incident; the possibility had been one of the things he faced with a certain recklessness.

But impunity had set his mind at ease, and the news in the first instant struck him with a trepidation which a few minutes' thought greatly allayed.

By a mental process familiar enough he at first saw the occurrence as he had seen it in the earlier days of his temptation, when his sense of honour yet gave him frequent trouble; he had to exert himself to recover his present standpoint.

At length he smiled.
'Just like that woman,' he said, turning half an eye on Alice.
'If she means trouble, you'll have it,' returned the girl sententiously.
'Well, it's no doubt over by this time.' 'Over?
Beginning, I should say,' remarked Alice, swinging her parasol at a butterfly.
They finished their walk to the house in silence, and Richard went at once to his dressing-room.