I knew what question was implied by his look, and slowly shook my head.
He breathed more freely.
"And yet I should never have imagined …"
"How's that? I have only been practising your own theory of love."
"Ye—es, but …"
"Well, but what?"
"This is quite another thing. Of primitive elemental simplicity he has nothing at all."
"It is true. In that point, and in that point only, has my practice departed from your theory. But I think good art is not unfrequently preferable to problematical simplicity."
"Yes, no doubt. And, moreover …"
"Pray continue."
"I myself have ended by abandoning that theory of mine. My experience with Helena exploded it definitely. I have radically changed my attitude; now I am without any conviction at all on the subject."
"But I imagined that the fallen edifice of your theory was to be restored by the aid of kitchen-maids."
"Vain hopes! They have proved impracticable, even to myself. My experiments in
