“I shouldn’t, recommend a job as chauffeuse. Too tiring.”

“I can tell you what I would rather like to do,” she said suddenly, “I’d like to help in a creche. Children, you know.”

“Not a bad idea,” he said. “Two days a week stunt. Not at all bad.”

“Of course, one doesn’t get paid for that sort of work,” she said.

He blew a cloud of smoke.

“Oh! Want money?”

“Well, yes. I—I shall want some.”

“Haven’t you an allowance?”

She flushed.

“I won’t touch a penny of it!”

“Quite right,” said Mr. Hengist. “Don’t.”

She looked up eagerly.

“Oh, you do see that I can’t?”

“Certainly. If you let a man down you can’t live on his money.”

There was a long silence.

“Do you—think—that, Mr. Hengist?”

“What, that you’ve let Stephen down? Yes. What do you think?”

“I—you don’t quite—understand.”

“My dear child, don’t start that parrot-cry. It means nothing. You married Stephen, you found marriage wasn’t quite as jolly as you thought it was going to be, so you chucked it up. However, I didn’t come to talk about that. It’s nothing to do with me. You can settle your own differences.”

“Mr. Hengist—I want you to realize that—whether I’ve behaved badly—or not—I’m not going back—to Stephen.”

“All right, don’t. I think you’ll be throwing away an exceedingly nice husband, but that’s your lookout. Revenons à nos moutons. What do you propose to do?”

Mr. Hengist was not taking her seriously; he talked as though she were still a child, not as though she were a woman who had taken a great step in life.

“I don’t know,” she said peevishly. “I shall have to think about it.” Then an idea occurred to her, and she leaned forward. “Oh, Mr. Hengist, how much ought I to give the waitress here? And the chambermaid, and the porter?”

He was puzzled.

“Give them? Give them what?”

“Tips. I’ve—I’ve never done it, and it is so difficult to know. I—I think one does it regularly, only how much ought I to give?”

“I’ve no idea,” he said brazenly. “That’s one of the drawbacks of being on your own, isn’t it?”

“I don’t regret it,” she said quickly. “Only—I’m thinking of going into rooms.”

“Won’t you be rather lonely?”

“Oh, no! I’ye—I’ve my friends, and anyway I hardly ever speak to the other people here. I should be much more comfortable in rooms. In fact, I’ve been looking at one or two, and I’ve almost decided to move into some further down the street. They’re very clean and nice, and I liked the landlady. I should be awfully happy in a little place by myself.”