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214 all winter long, appeared clearly. Teresa, with a shock, realised his unhappiness, and not knowing all the reasons, put it down solely to her own account. The complete story of her friendship with Fairfax made it clear to Basil that he was only an element in Teresa's enjoyment. Teresa tenderly admitted that her winter had been frivolous, and that she had neglected Basil; Basil protested that she had been quite right to have as good a time as she could. Then came peace between them, and a return of their old gaiety together. Teresa once more became accustomed to hearing how much more charming, how much more beautiful she was than other women. She took the other women as nameless abstractions, and smiled at the praise.

In the spring she knew that she was to have another child, and this one she welcomed. She wanted a companion for Ronald, and she now loved Ronald's baby graces so intimately that all possible babies appeared beautiful to her. Once more, and all at once, the world of frivolity fell away from her. For the time it absolutely ceased to interest her. Once more the special atmosphere, cloistral quiet of spirit, seriousness, and peace of mind, closed round her. She showed a quiet, dreamy happiness, for which Basil adored her.

They took for the summer a cottage in a quiet place by the sea, not far from New York, for