It was odious to him to believe that he could have appeared to Gordon, however guiltlessly, to have invaded even in imagination the mystic line of the marital monopoly; not to say that, moreover, if one came to that, he really cared about as much for poor little Blanche as for the weather-cock on the nearest steeple.

He simply hurried his preparations for departure, and he told Blanche that he should have to bid her farewell on the following day.

He had found her in the drawing-room, waiting for dinner.

She was expecting company to dine, and Gordon had not yet come down.
She was sitting in the vague glow of the fire-light, in a wonderful blue dress, with two little blue feet crossed on the rug and pointed at the hearth.

She received Bernard's announcement with small satisfaction, and expended a great deal of familiar ridicule on his project of a journey to California.