第10部分(第3/7 頁)

。　In　the　second　of　them　a　thin　maid；　whom　Katherine　had　noticed　at　Victoria；　was　sitting　very　upright　on　the　seat；　clutching　a　big　scarlet　morocco　case　with　the　initials　R。V。K。　on　it。　Mrs　Kettering　pulled　the　municating　door　to　and　sank　down　on　the　seat。　Katherine　sat　down　beside　her。

〃I　am　in　trouble　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　There　is　a　man　whom　I　am　fond　of　…　very　fond　of　indeed。　We　cared　for　each　other　when　we　were　young；　and　we　were　thrust　apart　most　brutally　and　unjustly。　Now　we　have　e　together　again。〃

〃Yes？〃

〃I　…　I　am　going　to　meet　him　now。　Oh！　I　dare　say　you　think　it　is　all　wrong；　but　you　don't　know　the　circumstances。　My　husband　is　impossible。　He　has　treated　me　disgracefully。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Katherine　again。

〃What　I　feel　so　badly　about　is　this。　I　have　deceived　my　father　…　it　was　he　who　came　to　see　me　off　at　Victoria　today。　He　wishes　me　to　divorce　my　husband；　and；　of　course；　he　has　no　idea　…　that　I　am　going　to　meet　this　other　man。　He　would　think　it　extraordinarily　foolish。〃

〃Well；　don't　you　think　it　is？〃

〃I　suppose　it　is。〃

Ruth　Kettering　looked　down　at　her　hands；　they　were　shaking　violently。

〃But　I　can't　draw　back　now。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　…　it　is　all　arranged；　and　it　would　break　his　heart。〃

〃Don't　you　believe　it；〃　said　Katherine　robustly；　〃hearts　are　pretty　tough。〃

〃He　will　think　I　have　no　courage；　no　strength　of　purpose。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　an　awfully　silly　thing　that　you　are　going　to　do；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　think　you　realize　that　yourself。〃

Ruth　Kettering　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。　〃I　don't　know　…　I　don't　know。　Ever　since　I　left　Victoria　I　have　had　a　horrible　feeling　of　something　…　something　that　is　ing　to　me　very　soon　…　that　I　can't　escape。〃

She　clutched　c