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           "Iknow.Mr.Letterblairhastoldme.""Ah?""That’sthereasonI’vecome.Heaskedmeto—youseeI’minthefirm."Shelookedslightlysurprised,andthenhereyesbrightened."Youmeanyoucanmanageitforme?IcantalktoyouinsteadofMr.Letterblair?Oh,thatwillbesomucheasier!"Hertonetouchedhim,andhisconfidencegrewwithhisself-satisfaction.HeperceivedthatshehadspokenofbusinesstoBeaufortsimplytogetridofhim;andtohaveroutedBeaufortwassomethingofatriumph."Iamheretotalkaboutit,"herepeated.Shesatsilent,herheadstillproppedbythearmthatrestedonthebackofthesofa.Herfacelookedpaleandextinguished,asifdimmedbytherichredofherdress.ShestruckArcher,ofasudden,asapatheticandevenpitifulfigure."Nowwe’recomingtohardfacts,"hethought,consciousinhimselfofthesameinstinctiverecoilthathehadsooftencriticisedinhismotherandhercontemporaries.Howlittlepracticehehadhadindealingwithunusualsituations!Theirveryvocabularywasunfamiliartohim,andseemedtobelongtofictionandthestage.Infaceofwhatwascominghefeltasawkwardandembarrassedasaboy.AfterapauseMadameOlenskabrokeoutwithunexpectedvehemence:"Iwanttobefree;Iwanttowipeoutallthepast.""Iunderstandthat."Herfacewarmed."Thenyou’llhelpme?""First—"hehesitated—"perhapsIoughttoknowalittlemore."Sheseemedsurprised."Youknowaboutmyhusband—mylifewithhim?"Hemadeasignofassent.