April thought so, too. It seemed to her they were both done for, but there was not much help in saying so. Diana's confession horrified her, and she saw that her own future at the Cape was knocked as flat as a house of cards that is demolished by the wayward hand of a child. Yet at that moment her principal feeling was one of compassion for the girl on the sofa, who alternately laughed and covered her eyes, and now with a pitiful attempt at bravado was attempting to light a cigarette, with hands that shook like aspen leaves.
"I suppose it was that cat Stanislaw who started the search for me?"
"It appears that she got into a panic when you did not return to your cabin, and went and told the Captain she feared you were overboard."
"The she-fiend! Much she cared if I was at the bottom of the sea! She had pried out where I was, and that was her subtle way of advertising it to the whole ship."
"I believe you are right," said April slowly, "though it is hard to understand how any one could do a thing so studiedly cruel."
"Cruel! She is a fiend, I tell you," cried Diana. "One of those women who have nothing left in their natures but hatred for those who are still young and pretty. I realized long ago that she would ruin my reputation if she could, but I did not give her credit for so much cleverness."
"Well, at any rate, she is not so clever as she thinks," said April drily. "For she hasn't ruined your reputation, after all; only mine."
Diana started; terror came into her eyes.
"My God, April! You don't mean to give me away?"
April knew very well what she meant to do. She had tasted of "the triumph and the roses and the wine," and the bill had been presented. Even though it left her bankrupt and disgraced, she was going to honour that bill; but she could not resist finding out what point of view was held by Diana as to similar obligations.
"You think, then, it is _my_ name that should be left with the smirch on it?" she asked dispassionately.
"The scandal . . ." she stammered; "my people . . . you don't know what it would mean to have such a story attached to me."
"It would be better to have it attached to me, of course," April agreed, with an irony that was entirely wasted on Diana.