Each
looked up and down the Park. Knight may possibly have borne in
mind during the intervening months Stephen's manner towards him
the last time they had met, and may have encouraged his former
interest in Stephen's welfare to die out of him as misplaced.
Stephen certainly was full of the feelings begotten by the belief
that Knight had taken away the woman he loved so well.
Stephen Smith then asked a question, adopting a certain
recklessness of manner and tone to hide, if possible, the fact
that the subject was a much greater one to him than his friend had
ever supposed.
'Are you married?'
'I am not.'
Knight spoke in an indescribable tone of bitterness that was
almost moroseness.
'And I never shall be,' he added decisively. 'Are you?'
'No,' said Stephen, sadly and quietly, like a man in a sick-room.
Totally ignorant whether or not Knight knew of his own previous
claims upon Elfride, he yet resolved to hazard a few more words
upon the topic which had an aching fascination for him even now.
'Then your engagement to Miss Swancourt came to nothing,' he said.
'You remember I met you with her once?'
Stephen's voice gave way a little here, in defiance of his firmest
will to the contrary. Indian affairs had not yet lowered those
emotions down to the point of control.
'It was broken off,' came quickly from Knight. 'Engagements to
marry often end like that--for better or for worse.
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