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drivers could have turned when at their full speed。 For a while we had
heard their voices； or rather her voice especially。 〃The heart of a man；
O'Brien； should suffice for all emergencies；〃 we had heard her say。 She
had assumed a strange habit of calling men by their simple names； as men
address one another。 When she did this to Mackinnon； who was much
older than herself； we had been all amused by it； and other ladies of our
party had taken to call him 〃Mackinnon〃 when Mrs。 Talboys was not by；
but we had felt the comedy to be less safe with O'Brien； especially when
on one occasion we heard him address her as Arabella。 She did not seem
to be in any way struck by his doing so； and we supposed therefore that it
had become frequent between them。 What reply he made at the moment
about the heart of a man I do not know； and then in a few minutes they
disappeared through the gap in the wall。
None of us followed them； although it would have seemed the most
natural thing in the world to do so had nothing out of the way been
expected。 As it was； we remained there round the tomb quizzing the little
foibles of our dear friend and hoping that O'Brien would be quick in what
he was doing。 That he would undoubtedly get a slap in the face；
metaphorically； we all felt certain； for none of us doubted the rigid
propriety of the lady's intentions。 Some of us strolled into the buildings
and some of us got out on to the road； but we all of us were thinking that
O'Brien was very slow a considerable time before we saw Mrs。 Talboys
reappear through the gap。
At last； however； she was there； and we at once saw that she was alone。
She came on； breasting the hill with quick steps； and when she drew near
we could see that there was a frown as of injured majesty on her brow。
Mackinnon and his wife went forward to meet her。 If she were really in
trouble it would be fitting in some way to assist her； and of all women Mrs。
Mackinnon was the last to see another woman suffer from ill usage
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without attempting to aid her。 〃I certainly never liked her；〃 Mrs。
Mackinnon said afterward； 〃but I was bound to go and hear her tale when
she really had a tale to tell。〃
And Mrs。 Talboys now had a tale to tellif she chose to tell it。 The
ladies of our party declared afterward that she would have acted more
wisely had she kept to herself both O'Brien's words to her and her answer。
〃She was well able to take care of herself；〃 Mrs。 Mackinnon said； 〃and
after all the silly man had taken an answer when he got it。〃 Not； however；
that O'Brien had taken his answer quite immediately； as far as I could
understand from what we heard of the matter afterward。
At the present moment Mrs。 Talboys came up the rising ground all
alone and at a quick pace。 〃The man has insulted me；〃 she said aloud； as
well as her panting breath would allow her； and as soon as she was near
enough to Mrs。 Mackinnon to speak to her。
〃I am sorry for that；〃 said Mrs。 Mackinnon。 〃I suppose he has taken a
little too much wine。〃
〃No； it was a premeditated insult。 The base…hearted churl has failed to
understand the meaning of true； honest sympathy。〃
〃He will forget all about it when he is sober；〃 said Mackinnon；
meaning to comfort her。
〃What care I what he remembers or what he forgets？〃 she said； turning
upon poor Mackinnon indignantly。 〃You men grovel so in your ideas〃
（〃And yet；〃 as Mackinnon said afterward； 〃she had been telling me that I
was a fool for the last three weeks。〃） 〃You men grovel so in your ideas that
you cannot understand the feelings of a true…hearted woman。 What can his
forgetfulness or his remembrance be to me？ Must not I remember this
insult？ Is it possible that I should forget it？〃
Mr。 and Mrs。 Mackinnon only had gone forward to meet her； but
nevertheless she spoke so loud that all heard her who were still clustered
round the spot on which we had dined。
〃What has become of Mr。 O'Brien？〃 a lady whispered to me。
I had a field…glass with me； and； looking round； I saw his hat as he was
walking inside the walls of the circus in the direction toward the city。
〃And very foolish he must feel；〃 said the lady。
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〃No doubt he is used to it；〃 said another。
〃But considering her age； you know；〃 said the first； who might have
been perhaps three years younger than Mrs。 Talboys； and who was not
herself averse to the excitement of a moderate flirtation。 But then why
should she have been averse； seeing that she had not as yet become subject
to the will of any imperial lord？
〃He would have felt much more foolish；〃 said the third； 〃if she had
listened to what he said to her。〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said the second； 〃nobody would have known
anything about it then； and in a few weeks they would have gradually
become tired of each other in the ordinary way。〃
But in the meantime Mrs。 Talboys was among us。 There had been no
attempt at secrecy； and she was still loudly inveighing against the
grovelling propensities of men。 〃That's quite true； Mrs。 Talboys；〃 said one
of the elder ladies； 〃but then women are not always so careful as they
should be。 Of course I do not mean to say that there has been any fault on
your part。〃
〃Fault on my part！ Of course there has been fault on my part。 No one
can make any mistake without fault to some extent。 I took him to be a man
of sense； and he is a fool。 Go to Naples indeed。〃
〃Did he want you to go to Naples？〃 asked Mrs。 Mackinnon。
〃Yes； that was what he suggested。 We were to leave by the train for
Civita Vecchia at six to…morrow morning； and catch the steamer which
leaves Leghorn to…night。 Don't tell me of wine。 He was prepared for it！〃
And she looked round about on us with an air of injured majesty in her
face which was almost insupportable。
〃I wonder whether he took the tickets overnight；〃 said Mackinnon。
〃Naples！〃 she said； as though now speaking exclusively to herself； 〃the
only g