Lady Maud was not prepared for the question.

‘Mr. Van Torp?’ she repeated slowly.  ’Oh dear no!  Certainly not!  What an extraordinary idea!’ She gazed into Margaret’s eyes with a look of inquiry, until the truth suddenly dawned upon her.  ‘Oh, I see!’ she cried.  ‘How awfully funny!’

There was no minor note of sadness or regret in her rippling laughter now.  It was so exquisitely true and musical that the great soprano listened to it with keen delight, and wondered whether she herself could produce a sound half so delicious.

‘No, my dear,’ said Lady Maud, as her mirth subsided.  ’I never was in love with Mr. Van Torp.  But it really is awfully funny that you should have thought so!  No wonder you looked grave when I told you that I was really found in his rooms!  We are the greatest friends, and no man was ever kinder to a woman than he has been to me for the last two years.  But that’s all.  Did you really think the money was meant for me?  That wasn’t quite nice of you, was it?’

The bright smile was still on her face as she spoke the last words, for her nature was far too big to be really hurt; but the little rebuke went home sharply, and Margaret felt unreasonably ashamed of herself, considering that Lady Maud had not taken the slightest pains to explain the truth to her.

‘I’m so sorry,’ she said contritely.  ’I’m dreadfully sorry.  It was abominably stupid of me!’

’Oh no.  It was quite natural.  This is not a pretty world, and there’s no reason why you should think me better than lots of other women.  And besides, I don’t care!’

’But surely you won’t let your husband get a divorce for such a reason as that without making a defence?’

‘Before the Patriarch of Constantinople?’ Lady Maud evidently thought the idea very amusing.  ‘It sounds like a comic opera,’ she added.  ’Why should I defend myself?  I shall be glad to be free; and as for the story, the people who like me will not believe any harm of me, and the people who don’t like me may believe what they please.  But I’m very glad you showed me that article, disgusting as it is.’

‘I was beginning to be sorry I had brought it.’

’No.  You did me a service, for I had no idea that any one was going to take advantage of my divorce to make a cowardly attack on my friend—­I mean Mr. Van Torp.  I shall certainly not make any defence before the Patriarch, but I shall make a statement which will go to the right people, saying that I met Mr. Van Torp in a lawyer’s chambers in the Temple, that is, in a place of business, and about a matter of business, and that there was no secret about it, because my husband’s servant called the cab that took me there, and gave the cabman the address.  I often do go out without telling any one, and I let myself in with a latch-key when I come home, but on that particular occasion I did neither.  Will you say that if you hear me talked about?’