won't be very long now, dear Anna, but I'd rather
not talk about it, if you don't mind."

Yet another thing added to Anna's deep depression.
It seemed to her that Alfred Head no longer enjoyed
her company as he used to do. He had ordained that
they must always speak English, even when alone;
and to her mingled anger and surprise he had told
her plainly that, in spite of his solemn assurance, he
neither could nor would pay her the fifty shillings
which was now owing to her in connection with that
little secret matter arranged between herself and Willi
three years ago.

About this question of the fifty shillings Mr. Head
had behaved very strangely and rudely indeed. He
had actually tried to persuade her _that_he_knew_nothing_
_of_it_ -- that it was not he but someone else who had
given her the five half-sovereigns on that evening of
the 4th of August! Then when she, righteously indignant,
had forced the reluctant memory upon him,
he had explained that everything was now different,
and that the passing of this money from him to her
might involve them both in serious trouble.

Anna had never heard so flimsy an excuse. She
felt sure that he was keeping her out of the money
due to her because business was not quite so flourishing
now as it had been.

[[280]]

p279 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p280w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p281

v?