〃Very well；〃 said Cecilia； 〃I've done all I can。 I must go now。 Good…bye。〃
During her progress to the door she gave one look behind。 Hilary was standing by the bust of Socrates。 Her heart smote her to leave him thus embarrassed。 But again the vision of Biancafugitive in her own house； and with something tragic in her mocking immobilitycame to her； and she hastened away。
A voice said： 〃How are you； Mrs。 Dallison？ Your sister at home？〃
Cecilia saw before her Mr。 Purcey； rising and falling a little with the oscillation of his A。i。 Damyer。
A sense as of having just left a house visited by sickness or misfortune made Cecilia murmur：
〃I'm afraid she's not。〃
〃Bad luck！〃 said Mr。 Purcey。 His face fell as far as so red and square a face could fall。 〃I was hoping perhaps I might be allowed to take them for a run。 She's wanting exercise。〃 Mr。 Purcey laid his hand on the flank of his palpitating car。 〃Know these A。i。 Damyers； Mrs。 Dallison？ Best value you can get； simply rippin' little cars。 Wish you'd try her。〃
The A。i。 Damyer； diffusing an aroma of the finest petrol； leaped and trembled； as though conscious of her master's praise。 Cecilia looked at her。
〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃she's very sweet。
'Now do！〃 said Mr。 Purcey。 〃Let me give you a runJust to please me； I mean。 I'm sure you'll like her。〃
A little compunction； a little curiosity； a sudden revolt against all the discomfiture and sordid doubts she had been suffering from； made Cecilia glance softly at Mr。 Purcey's figure； almost before she knew it； she was seated in the A。i。 Damyer。 It trembled； emitted two small sounds； one large scent； and glided forward。 Mr。 Purcey said：
〃That's rippin' of you！〃
A postman； dog； and baker's cart； all hurrying at top speed； seemed to stand still； Cecilia felt the wind beating her cheeks。 She gave a little laugh。
〃You must just take me home； please。〃
Mr。 Purcey touched the chauffeur's elbow。
〃Round the park；〃 he said。 〃Let her have it。〃
The A。i。 Damyer uttered a tiny shriek。 Cecilia； leaning back in her padded corner； glanced askance at Mr。 Purcey leaning back in his； an unholy； astonished little smile played on her lips。
'What am I doing？' it seemed to say。 'The way he got me here really！ And now I am here I'm just going to enjoy it！'
There were no Hughs； no little modelall that sordid life had vanished； there was nothing but the wind beating her cheeks and the A。i。 Damyer leaping under her。
Mr。 Purcey said： 〃It just makes all the difference to me； keeps my nerves in order。〃
〃Oh；〃 Cecilia murmured； 〃have you got nerves。〃
Mr。 Purcey smiled。 When he smiled his cheeks formed two hard red blocks； his trim moustache stood out； and many little wrinkles ran from his light eyes。
〃Chock full of them；〃 he said； 〃least thing upsets me。 Can't bear to see a hungry…lookin' child； or anything。〃
A strange feeling of admiration for this man had come upon Cecilia。 Why could not she； and Thyme； and Hilary； and Stephen； and all the people they knew and mixed with； be like him； so sound and healthy； so unravaged by disturbing sympathies； so innocent of 〃social conscience；〃 so content？
As though jealous of these thoughts about her master； the A。i。 Damyer stopped of her own accord。
〃Hallo；〃 said Mr。 Purcey； 〃hallo； I say！ Don't you get out； she'll be all right directly。〃
〃Oh；〃 said Cecilia； 〃thanks； but I must go in here； anyhow； I think I'll say good…bye。 Thank you so much。 I have enjoyed it。〃
》From the threshold of a shop she looked back。 Mr。 Purcey； on foot； was leaning forward from the waist； staring at his A。i。 Damyer with profound concentration。
CHAPTER IX
HILARY GIVES CHASE
The ethics of a man like Hilary were not those of the million pure bred Purceys of this life； founded on a sense of property in this world and the next； nor were they precisely the morals and religion of the aristocracy； who； though aestheticised in parts； quietly used； in bulk； their fortified position to graft on Mr。 Purcey's ethics the principle of 'You be damned！' In the eyes of the majority he was probably an immoral and irreligious man； but in fact his morals and religion were those of his special section of societythe cultivated classes； 〃the professors； the artistic pigs； advanced people； and all that sort of cuckoo；〃 as Mr。 Purcey called thema section of society supplemented by persons； placed beyond the realms of want； who speculated in ideas。
Had he been required to make confession of his creed he would probably have framed it in some such way as this： 〃I disbelieve in all Church dogmas； and do not go to church； I have no definite ideas about a future state； and do not want to have； but in a private way I try to identify myself as much as possible with what I see about me； feeling that if I could ever really be at one with the world I live in I should be happy。 I think it foolish not to trust my senses and my reason； as for what my senses and my reason will not tell me； I assume that all is as it had to be； for if one could get to know the why of everything in one would be the Universe。 I do not believe that chastity is a virtue in itself； but only so far as it ministers to the health and happiness of the community。 I do not believe that marriage confers the rights of ownership； and I loathe all public wrangling on such matters； but I am temperamentally averse to the harming of my neighbours； if in reason it can be avoided。 As to manners； I think that to repeat a bit of scandal； and circulate backbiting stories； are worse offences than the actions that gave rise to them。 If I mentally condemn a person； I feel guilty of moral lapse。 I hate self…assertion； I am ashamed of self…advertisement。 I dislike loudness of any kind。 Probably I have too much tendency to negation of all sorts。 Small…talk bores me to extinction； but I will discuss a point of ethics or psychology half the night。 To make capital out of a person's weakness is repugnant to me。 I want to be a decent man； butI really can't take myself too seriously。〃
Though he had preserved his politeness towards Cecilia； he was in truth angry； and grew angrier every minute。 He was angry with her； himself； and the man Hughs； and suffered from this anger as only they can who are not accustomed to the rough…and…tumble of things。
Such a retiring man as Hilary was seldom given the opportunity for an obvious display of chivalry。 The tenor of his life removed him from those situations。 Such chivalry as he displayed was of a negative order。 And confronted suddenly with the conduct of Hughs； who； it seemed； knocked his wife about； and dogged the footsteps of a helpless girl； he took it seriously to heart。
When the little model came walking up the garden on her usual visit； he fancied her face looked scared。 Quieting the growling of Miranda； who from the first had stubbornly refused to know this girl； he sat down with a book to wait for her to go away。 After sitting an hour or more； turning over pages； and knowing little of their sense； he saw a man peer over his garden gate。 He was there for half a minute； then lounged across the road； and stood hidden by some railings。
'So？' thought Hilary。 'Shall I go out and warn the fellow to clear off； or shall I wait to see what happens when she goes away？'
He determined on the latter course。 Presently she came out； walking with her peculiar gait； youthful and pretty； but too matter…of…fact； and yet； as it were； too purposeless to be a lady's。 She looked back at Hilary's window； and turned uphill。
Hilary took his hat and stick and waited。 In half a minute Hughs came out from under cover of the railings and followed。 Then Hilary； too； set forth。
There is left in every man something of the primeval love of stalking。 The delicate Hilary； in cooler blood； would have revolted at the notion of dogging people's footsteps。 He now experienced the holy pleasures of the chase。 Certain that Hughs was really following the girl； he had but to keep him in sight and remain unseen。 This was not hard for a man given to mountain…climbing； almost the only sport left to one who thought it immoral to hurt anybody but himself。
Taking advantage of shop…windows； omnibuses； passers…by； and other bits of cover； he prosecuted the chase up the steepy heights of Campden Hill。 But soon a nearly fatal check occurred； for； chancing to take his eyes off Hughs； he saw the little model returning on her tracks。 Ready enough in physical emergencies； Hilary sprang into a passing omnibus。 He saw her stopping before the window of a picture…
shop。 From the expression of her face and figure； she evidently had no idea that she was being followed； but stood with a sort of slack… lipped wonder； lost in admiration of a well…known print。 Hilary had often wondered who could possibly admire that picturehe now knew。 It was obvious that the girl's aesthetic sense was deeply touched。
While this was passing through his mind； he caught sight of Hughs lurking outside a public…house。 The dark man's face was sullen and dejected； and looked as if he suffered。 Hilary felt a sort of pity for him。
The omnibus leaped forward； and he sat down smartly almost on a lady's lap。 This was the lap of