Lord Herbert put down his pipe. It was not smoked out. “That's what I want to know,” he answered.
“Of course, there's the one way—of being unconventional. Then, there's the way of being conventional but unhappy. Is there any alternative?”
Lord Herbert hesitated obviously, but at length he said: “There is, of course; but Mrs Glinn is a curious sort of woman. I don't quite know—”
He paused, looking at his friend. Maine's face was drawn and fierce.
“What's the row?” Lord Herbert asked.
“Nothing; only I shouldn't advise you to try the alternative. That's all.”
“Maine, what do you mean?”
“Just this,” replied the other. “That I know Mrs Glinn, that I agree with you about her character—”
“You know her? That's odd!”
“I have known her for a year.”