"Help me? It would save me. Nothing further would be needed. I should be out of everything at once, and in the most perfect peace and quiet."
The shadow deepened perceptibly, and Mrs. Van Adam moved rather uneasily on her sofa. However, she made no further remark, and Mrs. Verulam continued:
"Circumstances render that route to what I long for one which I can't take. And besides, in any case, I doubt if I should have been equal to it. For I was born respectable, and I shall certainly remain so. Yet, do you know, Chloe, if there were any way—if only I could compromise myself in the eyes of the world without compromising myself in my own eyes, I would do it. I would do anything to get out of my cage."
"As I would do anything to get into it."
Mrs. Verulam sighed deeply, put her handkerchief to her eyes, took it down, and then seemed with an effort of will to recover herself and to dismiss the problem that perplexed her. For she sat in a more flexible attitude, and, turning to Chloe, said ingenuously:
"And now, dear, about Mr. Van Adam."
Chloe jumped, and Mrs. Verulam, observing this, continued:
"Tell me all about him, when he will follow you, how happy you are together, and why he did not accompany you."
"Well, you see," Mrs. Van Adam said rather faintly, "his oranges."
"Oranges?"