"And so you have been poisoned with people?" he said directly. "I feel uncomfortable; I am afraid I have interrupted the cure."
"Not a bit. The treatment is over, and I am going back to London to-morrow. You are the junction, so to speak, where some one gets in, where one first sees the smoke and the sea of houses. But who told you I was here?"
"Jack told me," he said. "Why?"
On his words Marie suddenly became conscious that definite drama had entered. From this point she saw herself as she might see a character in a play, with a feeling of irresponsibility. The author of the play was responsible. It was, in fact, overwhelmingly interesting to know the manner in which Jack had said this.
"When did you see him?" she asked.
"This morning only, and by accident. He suggested I should come here, in fact, and escort you back to London."
"But I am not going to-day," said Marie.
"No; he expects you back to-morrow. He suggested I should spend the night here, and come back with you then."
"Ah, that is charming!" said she. "You have told them you are stopping?"