MissVavasor
.
I
had
not
intended
to
mention
that
at
all
.
I
had
not
indeed
.
I
have
seen
him
certainly
since
you
came
in
,
—
just
for
a
minute
,
and
he
is
vexed
.
But
it
is
not
about
that
that
I
would
speak
to
you
.
"
"
I
saw
plainly
enough
that
he
was
angry
with
me
.
"
"
He
thought
you
would
have
brought
her
in
earlier
.
"
"
And
why
should
he
think
that
I
can
manage
his
wife
?
She
was
the
mistress
out
there
as
she
is
in
here
.
Mr.
Palliser
has
been
unreasonable
.
Not
that
it
signifies
.
"
"
I
do
n't
think
he
has
been
unreasonable
;
I
do
n't
,
indeed
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
He
has
certainly
been
vexed
.
Sometimes
he
has
much
to
vex
him
.
You
see
,
Glencora
is
very
young
.
"
Mr.
Bott
also
had
declared
that
Lady
Glencora
was
very
young
.
It
was
probable
,
therefore
,
that
that
special
phrase
had
been
used
in
some
discussion
among
Mr.
Palliser
's
party
as
to
Glencora
's
foibles
.
So
thought
Alice
as
the
remembrance
of
the
word
came
upon
her
.
"
She
is
not
younger
than
when
Mr.
Palliser
married
her
,
"
Alice
said
.
"
You
mean
that
if
a
man
marries
a
young
wife
he
must
put
up
with
the
trouble
.
That
is
a
matter
of
course
.
But
their
ages
,
in
truth
,
are
very
suitable
.
My
cousin
himself
is
not
yet
thirty
.
When
I
say
that
Glencora
is
young
—
"
"
You
mean
that
she
is
younger
in
spirit
,
and
perhaps
in
conduct
,
than
he
had
expected
to
find
her
.
"
"
But
you
are
not
to
suppose
that
he
complains
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
He
is
much
too
proud
for
that
.
"
"
I
should
hope
so
,
"
said
Alice
,
thinking
of
Mr.
Bott
.
"
I
hardly
know
how
to
explain
to
you
what
I
wish
to
say
,
or
how
far
I
may
be
justified
in
supposing
that
you
will
believe
me
to
be
acting
solely
on
Glencora
's
behalf
.
I
think
you
have
some
influence
with
her
;
—
and
I
know
no
one
else
that
has
any
.
"
"
My
friendship
with
her
is
not
of
very
long
date
,
Miss
Palliser
.
"
"
I
know
it
,
but
still
there
is
the
fact
.
Am
I
not
right
in
supposing
—
"
"
In
supposing
what
?
"
"
In
supposing
that
you
had
heard
the
name
of
Mr.
Fitzgerald
as
connected
with
Glencora
's
before
her
marriage
with
my
cousin
?
"
Alice
paused
a
moment
before
she
answered
.
"
Yes
,
I
had
,
"
she
then
said
.
"
And
I
think
you
were
agreed
,
with
her
other
relations
,
that
such
a
marriage
would
have
been
very
dreadful
.
"
"
I
never
spoke
of
the
matter
in
the
presence
of
any
relatives
of
Glencora
's
.
You
must
understand
,
Miss
Palliser
,
that
though
I
am
her
far-away
cousin
,
I
do
not
even
know
her
nearest
connections
.
I
never
saw
Lady
Midlothian
till
she
came
here
the
other
day
.
"
"
But
you
advised
her
to
abandon
Mr.
Fitzgerald
.
"
"
Never
!
"
"
I
know
she
was
much
with
you
,
just
at
that
time
.
"
"
I
used
to
see
her
,
certainly
.
"
Then
there
was
a
pause
,
and
Miss
Palliser
,
in
truth
,
scarcely
knew
how
to
go
on
.
There
had
been
a
hardness
about
Alice
which
her
visitor
had
not
expected
,
—
an
unwillingness
to
speak
or
even
to
listen
,
which
made
Miss
Palliser
almost
wish
that
she
were
out
of
the
room
.
She
had
,
however
,
mentioned
Burgo
Fitzgerald
's
name
,
and
out
of
the
room
now
she
could
not
go
without
explaining
why
she
had
done
so
.
But
at
this
point
Alice
came
suddenly
to
her
assistance
.
"
Just
then
she
was
often
with
me
,
"
said
Alice
,
continuing
her
reply
;
"
and
there
was
much
talk
between
us
about
Mr.
Fitzgerald
.
What
was
my
advice
then
can
be
of
little
matter
;
but
in
this
we
shall
be
both
agreed
,
Miss
Palliser
,
that
Glencora
now
should
certainly
not
be
called
upon
to
be
in
his
company
.
"
"
She
has
told
you
,
then
?
"
"
Yes
;
—
she
has
told
me
.
"
"
That
he
is
to
be
at
Lady
Monk
's
?
"
"
She
has
told
me
that
Mr.
Palliser
expects
her
to
meet
him
at
the
place
to
which
they
are
going
when
they
leave
the
Duke
's
,
and
that
she
thinks
it
hard
that
she
should
be
subjected
to
such
a
trial
.
"
"
It
should
be
no
trial
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
"
"
How
can
it
be
otherwise
?
Come
,
Miss
Palliser
;
if
you
are
her
friend
,
be
fair
to
her
.
"
"
I
am
her
friend
;
—
but
I
am
,
above
everything
,
my
cousin
's
friend
.
He
has
told
me
that
she
has
complained
of
having
to
meet
this
man
.
He
declares
that
it
should
be
nothing
to
her
,
and
that
the
fear
is
an
idle
folly
.
It
should
be
nothing
to
her
,
but
still
the
fear
may
not
be
idle
.
Is
there
any
reason
,
—
any
real
reason
,
—
why
she
should
not
go
?
Miss
Vavasor
,
I
conjure
you
to
tell
me
,
—
even
though
in
doing
so
you
must
cast
so
deep
reproach
upon
her
name
!
Anything
will
be
better
than
utter
disgrace
and
sin
!
"
"
I
conceive
that
I
cast
no
reproach
upon
her
in
saying
that
there
is
great
reason
why
she
should
not
go
to
Monkshade
.
"
"
You
think
there
is
absolute
grounds
for
interference
?
I
must
tell
him
,
you
know
,
openly
what
he
would
have
to
fear
.
"
"
I
think
,
—
nay
,
Miss
Palliser
,
I
know
,
—
that
there
is
ample
reason
why
you
should
save
her
from
being
taken
to
Monkshade
,
if
you
have
the
power
to
do
so
.
"
"
I
can
only
do
it
,
or
attempt
to
do
it
,
by
telling
him
just
what
you
tell
me
.
"
"
Then
tell
him
.
You
must
have
thought
of
that
,
I
suppose
,
before
you
came
to
me
.
"
"
Yes
;
—
yes
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
I
had
thought
of
it
.
No
doubt
I
had
thought
of
it
.
But
I
had
believed
all
through
that
you
would
assure
me
that
there
was
no
danger
.
I
believed
that
you
would
have
said
that
she
was
innocent
.
"
"
And
she
is
innocent
,
"
said
Alice
,
rising
from
her
chair
,
as
though
she
might
thus
give
emphasis
to
words
which
she
hardly
dared
to
speak
above
a
whisper
.
"
She
is
innocent
.
Who
accuses
her
of
guilt
?
You
ask
me
a
question
on
his
behalf
—
"
"
On
hers
—
and
on
his
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
"
"
A
question
which
I
feel
myself
bound
to
answer
truly
,
—
to
answer
with
reference
to
the
welfare
of
them
both
;
but
I
will
not
have
it
said
that
I
accuse
her
.
She
had
been
attached
to
Mr.
Fitzgerald
when
your
cousin
married
her
.
He
knew
that
this
had
been
the
case
.
She
told
him
the
whole
truth
.
In
a
worldly
point
of
view
her
marriage
with
Mr.
Fitzgerald
would
probably
have
been
very
imprudent
.
"
"
It
would
have
been
utterly
ruinous
.
"
"
Perhaps
so
;
I
say
nothing
about
that
.
But
as
it
turned
out
,
she
gave
up
her
own
wishes
and
married
your
cousin
.
"
"
I
do
n't
know
about
her
own
wishes
,
Miss
Vavasor
.
"
"
It
is
what
she
did
.
She
would
have
married
Mr.
Fitzgerald
,
had
she
not
been
hindered
by
the
advice
of
those
around
her
.
It
cannot
be
supposed
that
she
has
forgotten
him
in
so
short
a
time
.
There
can
be
no
guilt
in
her
remembrance
.
"
"
There
is
guilt
in
loving
any
other
than
her
husband
.
"
"
Then
,
Miss
Palliser
,
it
was
her
marriage
that
was
guilty
,
and
not
her
love
.
But
all
that
is
done
and
past
.
It
should
be
your
cousin
's
object
to
teach
her
to
forget
Mr.
Fitzgerald
,
and
he
will
not
do
that
by
taking
her
to
a
house
where
that
gentleman
is
staying
.
"
"
She
has
said
so
much
to
you
herself
?
"
"
I
do
not
know
that
I
need
declare
to
you
what
she
has
said
herself
.
You
have
asked
me
a
question
,
and
I
have
answered
it
,
and
I
am
thankful
to
you
for
having
asked
it
.
What
object
can
either
of
us
have
but
to
assist
her
in
her
position
?
"
"
And
to
save
him
from
dishonour
.
I
had
so
hoped
that
this
was
simply
a
childish
dread
on
her
part
.
"
"
It
is
not
so
.
It
is
no
childish
dread
.
If
you
have
the
power
to
prevent
her
going
to
Lady
Monk
's
,
I
implore
you
to
use
it
.
Indeed
,
I
will
ask
you
to
promise
me
that
you
will
do
so
.
"
"
After
what
you
have
said
,
I
have
no
alternative
.
"
"
Exactly
.
There
is
no
alternative
.
Either
for
his
sake
or
for
hers
,
there
is
none
.
"
Thereupon
Miss
Palliser
got
up
,
and
wishing
her
companion
good
night
,
took
her
departure
.
Throughout
the
interview
there
had
been
no
cordiality
of
feeling
between
them
.
There
was
no
pretence
of
friendship
,
even
as
they
were
parting
.
They
acknowledged
that
their
objects
were
different
.
That
of
Alice
was
to
save
Lady
Glencora
from
ruin
.
That
of
Miss
Palliser
was
to
save
her
cousin
from
disgrace
,
—
with
perhaps
some
further
honest
desire
to
prevent
sorrow
and
sin
.
One
loved
Lady
Glencora
,
and
the
other
clearly
did
not
love
her
.
But
,
nevertheless
,
Alice
felt
that
Miss
Palliser
,
in
coming
to
her
,
had
acted
well
,
and
that
to
herself
this
coming
had
afforded
immense
relief
.
Some
step
would
now
be
taken
to
prevent
that
meeting
which
she
had
so
deprecated
,
and
it
would
be
taken
without
any
great
violation
of
confidence
on
her
part
.
She
had
said
nothing
as
to
which
Lady
Glencora
could
feel
herself
aggrieved
.
On
the
next
morning
she
was
down
in
the
breakfast-room
soon
after
nine
,
and
had
not
been
in
the
room
many
minutes
before
Mr.
Palliser
entered
.
"
The
carriage
is
ordered
for
you
at
a
quarter
before
ten
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
I
have
come
down
to
give
you
your
breakfast
.
"
There
was
a
smile
on
his
face
as
he
spoke
,
and
Alice
could
see
that
he
intended
to
make
himself
pleasant
.
"
Will
you
allow
me
to
give
you
yours
instead
?
"
said
she
.
But
as
it
happened
,
no
giving
on
either
side
was
needed
,
as
Alice
's
breakfast
was
brought
to
her
separately
.
"
Glencora
bids
me
say
that
she
will
be
down
immediately
,
"
said
Mr.
Palliser
.
Alice
then
made
some
inquiry
with
reference
to
the
effects
of
last
night
's
imprudence
,
which
received
only
a
half-pronounced
reply
.
Mr.
Palliser
was
willing
to
be
gracious
,
but
did
not
intend
to
be
understood
as
having
forgiven
the
offence
.
The
Miss
Pallisers
then
came
in
together
,
and
after
them
Mr.
Bott
,
closely
followed
by
Mrs.
Marsham
,
and
all
of
them
made
inquiries
after
Lady
Glencora
,
as
though
it
was
to
be
supposed
that
she
might
probably
be
in
a
perilous
state
after
what
she
had
undergone
on
the
previous
evening
.
Mr.
Bott
was
particularly
anxious
.
"
The
frost
was
so
uncommonly
severe
,
"
said
he
,
"
that
any
delicate
person
like
Lady
Glencora
must
have
suffered
in
remaining
out
so
long
.
"
The
insinuation
that
Alice
was
not
a
delicate
person
and
that
,
as
regarded
her
,
the
severity
of
the
frost
was
of
no
moment
,
was
very
open
,
and
was
duly
appreciated
.
Mr.
Bott
was
aware
that
his
great
patron
had
in
some
sort
changed
his
opinion
about
Miss
Vavasor
,
and
he
was
of
course
disposed
to
change
his
own
.
A
fortnight
since
Alice
might
have
been
as
delicate
as
she
pleased
in
Mr.
Bott
's
estimation
.
"
I
hope
you
do
not
consider
Lady
Glencora
delicate
,
"
said
Alice
to
Mr.
Palliser
.
"
She
is
not
robust
,
"
said
the
husband
.
"
By
no
means
,
"
said
Mrs.
Marsham
.
"
Indeed
,
no
,
"
said
Mr.
Bott
.
Alice
knew
that
she
was
being
accused
of
being
robust
herself
;
but
she
bore
it
in
silence
.
Ploughboys
and
milkmaids
are
robust
,
and
the
accusation
was
a
heavy
one
.
Alice
,
however
,
thought
that
she
would
not
have
minded
it
,
if
she
could
have
allowed
herself
to
reply
;
but
this
at
the
moment
of
her
going
away
she
could
not
do
.
"
I
think
she
is
as
strong
as
the
rest
of
us
,
"
said
Iphigenia
Palliser
,
who
felt
that
after
last
night
she
owed
something
to
Miss
Vavasor
.
"
As
some
of
us
,
"
said
Mr.
Bott
,
determined
to
persevere
in
his
accusation
.
At
this
moment
Lady
Glencora
entered
,
and
encountered
the
eager
inquiries
of
her
two
duennas
.
These
,
however
,
she
quickly
put
aside
,
and
made
her
way
up
to
Alice
.
"
The
last
morning
has
come
,
then
,
"
she
said
.
"
Yes
,
indeed
,
"
said
Alice
.
"
Mr.
Palliser
must
have
thought
that
I
was
never
going
.
"
"
On
the
other
hand
,
"
said
he
,
"
I
have
felt
much
obliged
to
you
for
staying
.
"
But
he
said
it
coldly
;
and
Alice
began
to
wish
that
she
had
never
seen
Matching
Priory
.
"
Obliged
!
"
exclaimed
Lady
Glencora
.
"
I
ca
n't
tell
you
how
much
obliged
I
am
.
Oh
,
Alice
,
I
wish
you
were
going
to
stay
with
us
!
"
"
We
are
leaving
this
in
a
week
's
time
,
"
said
Mr.
Palliser
.
"
Of
course
we
are
,
"
said
Lady
Glencora
.
"
With
all
my
heart
I
wish
we
were
not
.
Dear
Alice
!
I
suppose
we
shall
not
meet
till
we
are
all
in
town
.
"
"
You
will
let
me
know
when
you
come
up
,
"
said
Alice
.
"
I
will
send
to
you
instantly
;
and
,
Alice
,
I
will
write
to
you
from
Gatherum
,
—
or
from
Monkshade
.
"
Alice
could
not
help
looking
around
and
catching
Miss
Palliser
's
eye
.
Miss
Palliser
was
standing
with
her
foot
on
the
fender
,
but
was
so
placed
that
she
could
see
Alice
.
She
made
a
slight
sign
with
her
head
,
as
much
as
to
say
that
Lady
Glencora
must
have
no
opportunity
of
writing
from
the
latter
place
;
but
she
said
nothing
.
Then
the
carriage
was
announced
,
and
Mr.
Palliser
took
Alice
out
on
his
arm
.
"
Do
n't
come
to
the
door
,
Glencora
,
"
he
said
.
"
I
especially
wish
you
not
to
do
so
.
"
The
two
cousins
then
kissed
each
other
,
and
Alice
went
away
to
the
carriage
.
"
Good-bye
,
Miss
Vavasor
,
"
said
Mr.
Palliser
;
but
he
expressed
no
wish
that
he
might
see
her
again
as
his
guest
at
Matching
Priory
.
Alice
,
as
she
was
driven
in
solitary
grandeur
to
the
railway
station
,
could
not
but
wish
that
she
had
never
gone
there
.
CHAPTER
XXIX
.
Burgo
Fitzgerald
.
On
the
night
before
Christmas
Eve
two
men
were
sitting
together
in
George
Vavasor
's
rooms
in
Cecil
Street
.
It
was
past
twelve
o'clock
,
and
they
were
both
smoking
;
there
were
square
bottles
on
the
table
containing
spirits
,
with
hot
water
and
cold
water
in
jugs
,
and
one
of
the
two
men
was
using
,
and
had
been
using
,
these
materials
for
enjoyment
.
Vavasor
had
not
been
drinking
,
nor
did
it
appear
as
though
he
intended
to
begin
.
There
was
a
little
weak
brandy
and
water
in
a
glass
by
his
side
,
but
there
it
had
remained
untouched
for
the
last
twenty
minutes
.
His
companion
,
however
,
had
twice
in
that
time
replenished
his
beaker
,
and
was
now
puffing
out
the
smoke
of
his
pipe
with
the
fury
of
a
steamer
's
funnel
when
she
has
not
yet
burned
the
black
off
her
last
instalment
of
fresh
coals
.
This
man
was
Burgo
Fitzgerald
.
He
was
as
handsome
as
ever
;
—
a
man
whom
neither
man
nor
woman
could
help
regarding
as
a
thing
beautiful
to
behold
;
—
but
not
the
less
was
there
in
his
eyes
and
cheeks
a
look
of
haggard
dissipation
,
—
of
riotous
living
,
which
had
become
wearisome
,
by
its
continuance
,
even
to
himself
,
—
that
told
to
all
who
saw
him
much
of
the
history
of
his
life
.
Most
men
who
drink
at
nights
,
and
are
out
till
cockcrow
doing
deeds
of
darkness
,
become
red
in
their
faces
,
have
pimpled
cheeks
and
watery
eyes
,
and
are
bloated
and
not
comfortable
to
be
seen
.
It
is
a
kind
dispensation
of
Providence
who
thus
affords
to
such
sinners
a
visible
sign
,
to
be
seen
day
by
day
,
of
the
injury
which
is
being
done
.
The
first
approach
of
a
carbuncle
on
the
nose
,
about
the
age
of
thirty
,
has
stopped
many
a
man
from
drinking
.
No
one
likes
to
have
carbuncles
on
his
nose
,
or
to
appear
before
his
female
friends
with
eyes
which
look
as
though
they
were
swimming
in
grog
.
But
to
Burgo
Fitzgerald
Providence
in
her
anger
had
not
afforded
this
protection
.
He
became
at
times
pale
,
sallow
,
worn
,
and
haggard
.
He
grew
thin
,
and
still
thinner
.
At
times
he
had
been
ill
to
death
's
door
.
Among
his
intimate
friends
there
were
those
who
heard
him
declare
frequently
that
his
liver
had
become
useless
to
him
;
and
that
,
as
for
gastric
juices
,
he
had
none
left
to
him
.
But
still
his
beauty
remained
.
The
perfect
form
of
his
almost
god-like
face
was
the
same
as
ever
,
and
the
brightness
of
his
bright
blue
eye
was
never
quenched
.
On
the
present
occasion
he
had
come
to
Vavasor
's
room
with
the
object
of
asking
from
him
certain
assistance
,
and
perhaps
also
some
amount
of
advice
.
But
as
regarded
the
latter
article
he
was
,
I
think
,
in
the
state
of
most
men
when
they
seek
for
counsellors
who
shall
counsel
them
to
do
evil
.
Advice
administered
in
accordance
with
his
own
views
would
give
him
comfortable
encouragement
,
but
advice
on
the
other
side
he
was
prepared
to
disregard
altogether
.
These
two
men
had
known
each
other
long
,
and
a
close
intimacy
had
existed
between
them
in
the
days
past
,
previous
to
Lady
Glencora
's
engagement
with
Mr.
Palliser
.
When
Lady
Glencora
endeavoured
,
vainly
as
we
know
,
to
obtain
aid
from
Alice
Vavasor
,
Burgo
had
been
instigated
to
believe
that
Alice
's
cousin
might
assist
him
.
Any
such
assistance
George
Vavasor
would
have
been
quite
ready
to
give
.
Some
pecuniary
assistance
he
had
given
,
he
at
that
time
having
been
in
good
funds
.
Perhaps
he
had
for
a
moment
induced
Burgo
to
think
that
he
could
obtain
for
the
pair
the
use
of
the
house
in
Queen
Anne
Street
as
a
point
at
which
they
might
meet
,
and
from
whence
they
might
start
on
their
journey
of
love
.
All
that
was
over
.
Those
hopes
had
been
frustrated
,
and
Lady
Glencora
M'Cluskie
had
become
Lady
Glencora
Palliser
and
not
Lady
Glencora
Fitzgerald
.
But
now
other
hopes
had
sprung
up
,
and
Burgo
was
again
looking
to
his
friend
for
assistance
.
"
I
believe
she
would
,
"
Burgo
said
,
as
he
lifted
the
glass
to
his
mouth
.
"
It
's
a
thing
of
that
sort
that
a
man
can
only
believe
,
—
perhaps
only
hope
,
—
till
he
has
tried
.
I
know
that
she
is
not
happy
with
him
,
and
I
have
made
up
my
mind
that
I
will
at
least
ask
her
.
"
"
But
he
would
have
her
fortune
all
the
same
?
"
"
I
do
n't
know
how
that
would
be
.
I
have
n't
inquired
,
and
I
do
n't
mean
to
inquire
.
Of
course
I
do
n't
expect
you
or
any
one
else
to
believe
me
,
but
her
money
has
no
bearing
on
the
question
now
.
Heaven
knows
I
want
money
bad
enough
,
but
I
would
n't
take
away
another
man
's
wife
for
money
.
"
"
You
do
n't
mean
to
say
you
think
it
would
be
wicked
.
I
supposed
you
to
be
above
those
prejudices
.
"
"
It
's
all
very
well
for
you
to
chaff
.
"
"
It
's
no
chaff
at
all
.
I
tell
you
fairly
I
would
n't
run
away
with
any
man
's
wife
.
I
have
an
old-fashioned
idea
that
when
a
man
has
got
a
wife
he
ought
to
be
allowed
to
keep
her
.
Public
opinion
,
I
know
,
is
against
me
.
"
"
I
think
he
ran
away
with
my
wife
,
"
said
Burgo
,
with
emphasis
;
"
that
's
the
way
I
look
at
it
.
She
was
engaged
to
me
first
;
and
she
really
loved
me
,
while
she
never
cared
for
him
.
"
"
Nevertheless
,
marriage
is
marriage
,
and
the
law
is
against
you
.
But
if
I
did
go
in
for
such
a
troublesome
job
at
all
,
I
certainly
should
keep
an
eye
upon
the
money
.
"
"
It
can
make
no
difference
.
"
"
It
did
make
a
difference
,
I
suppose
,
when
you
first
thought
of
marrying
her
?
"
"
Of
course
it
did
.
My
people
brought
us
together
because
she
had
a
large
fortune
and
I
had
none
.
There
's
no
doubt
in
the
world
about
that
.
And
I
'll
tell
you
what
;
I
believe
that
old
harridan
of
an
aunt
of
mine
is
willing
to
do
the
same
thing
now
again
.
Of
course
she
does
n't
say
as
much
.
She
would
n't
dare
do
that
,
but
I
do
believe
she
means
it
.
I
wonder
where
she
expects
to
go
to
!
"
"
That
's
grateful
on
your
part
.
"
"
Upon
my
soul
I
hate
her
.
I
do
indeed
.
It
is
n't
love
for
me
now
so
much
as
downright
malice
against
Palliser
,
because
he
baulked
her
project
before
.
She
is
a
wicked
old
woman
.
Some
of
us
fellows
are
wicked
enough
—
you
and
I
for
instance
—
"
"
Thank
you
.
I
do
n't
know
,
however
,
that
I
am
qualified
to
run
in
a
curricle
with
you
.
"
"
But
we
are
angels
to
such
an
old
she-devil
as
that
.
You
may
believe
me
or
not
,
as
you
like
.
—
I
dare
say
you
wo
n't
believe
me
.
"
"
I
'll
say
I
do
,
at
any
rate
.
"
"
The
truth
is
,
I
want
to
get
her
,
partly
because
I
love
her
;
but
chiefly
because
I
do
believe
in
my
heart
that
she
loves
me
.
"
"
It
's
for
her
sake
then
!
You
are
ready
to
sacrifice
yourself
to
do
her
a
good
turn
.
"
"
As
for
sacrificing
myself
,
that
's
done
.
I
'm
a
man
utterly
ruined
and
would
cut
my
throat
to-morrow
for
the
sake
of
my
relations
,
if
I
cared
enough
about
them
.
I
know
my
own
condition
pretty
well
.
I
have
made
a
shipwreck
of
everything
,
and
have
now
only
got
to
go
down
among
the
breakers
.
"
"
Only
you
would
like
to
take
Lady
Glencora
with
you
.
"
"
No
,
by
heavens
!
But
sometimes
,
when
I
do
think
about
it
at
all
,
—
which
I
do
as
seldom
as
I
can
,
—
it
seems
to
me
that
I
might
still
become
a
different
fellow
if
it
were
possible
for
me
to
marry
her
.
"
"
Had
you
married
her
when
she
was
free
to
marry
any
one
and
when
her
money
was
her
own
,
it
might
have
been
so
.
"
"
I
think
it
would
be
quite
as
much
so
now
.
I
do
,
indeed
.
If
I
could
get
her
once
,
say
to
Italy
,
or
perhaps
to
Greece
,
I
think
I
could
treat
her
well
,
and
live
with
her
quietly
.
I
know
that
I
would
try
.
"
"
Without
the
assistance
of
brandy
and
cigars
.
"
"
Yes
.
"
"
And
without
any
money
.
"
"
With
only
a
little
.
I
know
you
'll
laugh
at
me
;
but
I
make
pictures
to
myself
of
a
sort
of
life
which
I
think
would
suit
us
,
and
be
very
different
from
this
hideous
way
of
living
,
with
which
I
have
become
so
sick
that
I
loathe
it
.
"
"
Something
like
Juan
and
Haidée
,
with
Planty
Pall
coming
after
you
,
like
old
Lambro
.
"
By
the
nickname
of
Planty
Pall
George
Vavasor
intended
to
designate
Lady
Glencora
's
present
husband
.
"
He
'd
get
a
divorce
,
of
course
,
and
then
we
should
be
married
.
I
really
do
n't
think
he
'd
dislike
it
,
when
it
was
all
done
.
They
tell
me
he
does
n't
care
for
her
.
"
"
You
have
seen
her
since
her
marriage
?
"
"
Yes
;
twice
.
"
"
And
have
spoken
to
her
?
"
"
Once
only
,
—
so
as
to
be
able
to
do
more
than
ask
her
if
she
were
well
.
Once
,
for
about
two
minutes
,
I
did
speak
to
her
.
"
"
And
what
did
she
say
?
"
"
She
said
it
would
be
better
that
we
should
not
meet
.
When
she
said
that
,
I
knew
that
she
was
still
fond
of
me
.
I
could
have
fallen
at
her
feet
that
moment
,
only
the
room
was
full
of
people
.
I
do
think
that
she
is
fond
of
me
.
"
Vavasor
paused
a
few
minutes
.
"
I
dare
say
she
is
fond
of
you
,
"
he
then
said
;
"
but
whether
she
has
pluck
for
such
a
thing
as
this
,
is
more
than
I
can
say
.
Probably
she
has
not
.
And
if
she
has
,
probably
you
would
fail
in
carrying
out
your
plan
.
"
"
I
must
get
a
little
money
first
,
"
said
Burgo
.
"
And
that
's
an
operation
which
no
doubt
you
find
more
difficult
every
day
,
as
you
grow
older
.
"
"
It
seems
to
be
much
the
same
sort
of
thing
.
I
went
to
Magruin
this
morning
.
"
"
He
's
the
fellow
that
lives
out
near
Gray
's
Inn
Lane
?
"
"
Just
beyond
the
Foundling
Hospital
.
I
went
to
him
,
and
he
was
quite
civil
about
it
.
He
says
I
owe
him
over
three
thousand
pounds
,
but
that
does
n't
seem
to
make
any
difference
.
"
"
How
much
did
you
ever
have
from
him
?
"
"
I
do
n't
recollect
that
I
ever
absolutely
had
any
money
.
He
got
a
bill
of
mine
from
a
tailor
who
went
to
smash
,
and
he
kept
on
renewing
that
till
it
grew
to
be
ever
so
many
bills
.
I
think
he
did
once
let
me
have
twenty-four
pounds
,
—
but
certainly
never
more
than
that
.
"
"
And
he
says
he
'll
give
you
money
now
?
I
suppose
you
told
him
why
you
wanted
it
.
"
"
I
did
n't
name
her
,
—
but
I
told
him
what
would
make
him
understand
that
I
hoped
to
get
off
with
a
lady
who
had
a
lot
of
tin
.
I
asked
him
for
two
hundred
and
fifty
.
He
says
he
'll
let
me
have
one
hundred
and
fifty
on
a
bill
at
two
months
for
five
hundred
,
—
with
your
name
to
it
.
"
"
With
my
name
to
it
!
That
's
kind
on
his
part
,
—
and
on
yours
too
.
"
"
Of
course
I
ca
n't
take
it
up
at
the
end
of
two
months
.
"
"
I
dare
say
not
,
"
said
Vavasor
.
"
But
he
wo
n't
come
upon
you
then
,
—
nor
for
a
year
or
more
afterwards
.
I
did
pay
you
what
you
lent
me
before
.
"
"
Yes
,
you
did
.
I
always
thought
that
to
be
a
special
compliment
on
your
part
.
"
"
And
you
'll
find
I
'll
pull
you
through
now
in
some
way
.
If
I
do
n't
succeed
in
this
I
shall
go
off
the
hooks
altogether
soon
;
and
if
I
were
dead
my
people
would
pay
my
debts
then
.
"
Before
the
evening
was
over
Vavasor
promised
the
assistance
asked
of
him
.
He
knew
that
he
was
lending
his
name
to
a
man
who
was
utterly
ruined
,
and
putting
it
into
the
hands
of
another
man
who
was
absolutely
without
conscience
in
the
use
he
would
make
of
it
.
He
knew
that
he
was
creating
for
himself
trouble
,
and
in
all
probability
loss
,
which
he
was
ill
able
to
bear
.
But
the
thing
was
one
which
came
within
the
pale
of
his
laws
.
Such
assistance
as
that
he
might
ask
of
others
,
and
had
asked
and
received
before
now
.
It
was
a
reckless
deed
on
his
part
,
but
then
all
his
doings
were
reckless
.
It
was
consonant
with
his
mode
of
life
.
"
I
thought
you
would
,
old
fellow
,
"
said
Burgo
,
as
he
got
up
to
go
away
.
"
Perhaps
,
you
know
,
I
shall
pull
through
in
this
;
and
perhaps
,
after
all
,
some
part
of
her
fortune
will
come
with
her
.
If
so
you
'll
be
all
right
.
"
"
Perhaps
I
may
.
But
look
here
,
Burgo
,
—
do
n't
you
give
that
fellow
up
the
bill
till
you
've
got
the
money
into
your
fist
.
"
"
You
may
be
quite
easy
about
that
.
I
know
their
tricks
.
He
and
I
will
go
to
the
bank
together
,
and
we
shall
squabble
there
at
the
door
about
four
or
five
odd
sovereigns
,
—
and
at
last
I
shall
have
to
give
him
up
two
or
three
.
Beastly
old
robber
!
I
declare
I
think
he
's
worse
than
I
am
myself
.
"
Then
Burgo
Fitzgerald
took
a
little
more
brandy
and
water
and
went
away
.
He
was
living
at
this
time
in
the
house
of
one
of
his
relatives
in
Cavendish
Square
,
north
of
Oxford
Street
.
His
uncles
and
his
aunts
,
and
all
those
who
were
his
natural
friends
,
had
clung
to
him
with
a
tenacity
that
was
surprising
;
for
he
had
never
been
true
to
any
of
them
,
and
did
not
even
pretend
to
like
them
.
His
father
,
with
whom
for
many
years
he
had
not
been
on
speaking
terms
,
was
now
dead
;
but
he
had
sisters
whose
husbands
would
still
open
their
houses
to
him
,
either
in
London
or
in
the
country
;
—
would
open
their
houses
to
him
,
and
lend
him
their
horses
,
and
provide
him
with
every
luxury
which
the
rich
enjoy
,
—
except
ready
money
.
When
the
uttermost
stress
of
pecuniary
embarrassment
would
come
upon
him
,
they
would
pay
something
to
stave
off
the
immediate
evil
.
And
so
Burgo
went
on
.
Nobody
now
thought
of
saying
much
to
reproach
him
.
It
was
known
to
be
waste
of
words
,
and
trouble
in
vain
.
They
were
still
fond
of
him
because
he
was
beautiful
and
never
vain
of
his
beauty
;
—
because
in
the
midst
of
his
recklessness
there
was
always
about
him
a
certain
kindliness
which
made
him
pleasant
to
those
around
him
.
He
was
soft
and
gracious
with
children
,
and
would
be
very
courteous
to
his
lady
cousins
.
They
knew
that
as
a
man
he
was
worthless
,
but
nevertheless
they
loved
him
.
I
think
the
secret
of
it
was
chiefly
in
this
,
—
that
he
seemed
to
think
so
little
of
himself
.
But
now
as
he
walked
home
in
the
middle
of
the
night
from
Cecil
Street
to
Cavendish
Square
he
did
think
much
of
himself
.
Indeed
such
self-thoughts
come
naturally
to
all
men
,
be
their
outward
conduct
ever
so
reckless
.
Every
man
to
himself
is
the
centre
of
the
whole
world
;
—
the
axle
on
which
it
all
turns
.
All
knowledge
is
but
his
own
perception
of
the
things
around
him
.
All
love
,
and
care
for
others
,
and
solicitude
for
the
world
's
welfare
,
are
but
his
own
feelings
as
to
the
world
's
wants
and
the
world
's
merits
.
He
had
played
his
part
as
a
centre
of
all
things
very
badly
.
Of
that
he
was
very
well
aware
.
He
had
sense
enough
to
know
that
it
should
be
a
man
's
lot
to
earn
his
bread
after
some
fashion
,
and
he
often
told
himself
that
never
as
yet
had
he
earned
so
much
as
a
penny
roll
.
He
had
learned
to
comprehend
that
the
world
's
progress
depends
on
the
way
in
which
men
do
their
duty
by
each
other
,
—
that
the
progress
of
one
generation
depends
on
the
discharge
of
such
duties
by
that
which
preceded
it
;
—
and
he
knew
that
he
,
in
his
generation
,
had
done
nothing
to
promote
such
progress
.
He
thoroughly
despised
himself
,
—
if
there
might
be
any
good
in
that
!
But
on
such
occasions
as
these
,
when
the
wine
he
had
drunk
was
sufficient
only
to
drive
away
from
him
the
numbness
of
despair
,
when
he
was
all
alone
with
the
cold
night
air
upon
his
face
,
when
the
stars
were
bright
above
him
and
the
world
around
him
was
almost
quiet
,
he
would
still
ask
himself
whether
there
might
not
yet
be
,
even
for
him
,
some
hope
of
a
redemption
,
—
some
chance
of
a
better
life
in
store
for
him
.
He
was
still
young
,
—
wanting
some
years
of
thirty
.
Could
there
be
,
even
for
him
,
some
mode
of
extrication
from
his
misery
?
We
know
what
was
the
mode
which
now
,
at
this
moment
,
was
suggesting
itself
to
him
.
He
was
proposing
to
himself
,
as
the
best
thing
that
he
could
do
,
to
take
away
another
man
's
wife
and
make
himself
happy
with
her
!
What
he
had
said
to
Vavasor
as
to
disregarding
Lady
Glencora
's
money
had
been
perfectly
true
.
That
in
the
event
of
her
going
off
with
him
,
some
portion
of
her
enormous
wealth
would
still
cling
to
her
,
he
did
believe
.
Seeing
that
she
had
no
children
he
could
not
understand
where
else
it
should
all
go
.
But
he
thought
of
this
as
it
regarded
her
,
not
as
it
regarded
him
.
When
he
had
before
made
his
suit
to
her
,
—
a
suit
which
was
then
honourable
,
however
disadvantageous
it
might
have
seemed
to
be
to
her
—
he
had
made
in
his
mind
certain
calculations
as
to
the
good
things
which
would
result
to
him
if
he
were
successful
He
would
keep
hounds
,
and
have
three
or
four
horses
every
day
for
his
own
riding
,
and
he
would
have
no
more
interviews
with
Magruin
,
waiting
in
that
rogue
's
dingy
back
parlour
for
many
a
weary
wretched
half-hour
,
till
the
rogue
should
be
pleased
to
show
himself
.
So
far
he
had
been
mercenary
;
but
he
had
learned
to
love
the
girl
,
and
to
care
more
for
her
than
for
her
money
,
and
when
the
day
of
disappointment
came
upon
him
,
—
the
day
on
which
she
had
told
him
that
all
between
them
was
to
be
over
for
ever
,
—
he
had
,
for
a
few
hours
,
felt
the
loss
of
his
love
more
than
the
loss
of
his
money
.
Then
he
had
had
no
further
hope
.
No
such
idea
as
that
which
now
filled
his
mind
had
then
come
upon
him
.
The
girl
had
gone
from
him
and
married
another
man
,
and
there
was
an
end
of
it
.
But
by
degrees
tidings
had
reached
him
that
she
was
not
happy
,
—
reaching
him
through
the
mouths
of
people
who
were
glad
to
exaggerate
all
that
they
had
heard
.
A
whole
tribe
of
his
female
relatives
had
been
anxious
to
promote
his
marriage
with
Lady
Glencora
M'Cluskie
,
declaring
that
,
after
all
that
was
come
and
gone
,
Burgo
would
come
forth
from
his
troubles
as
a
man
of
great
wealth
.
So
great
was
the
wealth
of
the
heiress
that
it
might
withstand
even
his
propensities
for
spending
.
That
whole
tribe
had
been
bitterly
disappointed
;
and
when
they
heard
that
Mr.
Palliser
's
marriage
had
given
him
no
child
,
and
that
Lady
Glencora
was
unhappy
,
—
they
made
their
remarks
in
triumph
rather
than
in
sorrow
.
I
will
not
say
that
they
looked
forward
approvingly
to
such
a
step
as
that
which
Burgo
now
wished
to
take
,
—
though
as
regarded
his
aunt
,
Lady
Monk
,
he
himself
had
accused
her
;
but
they
whispered
that
such
things
had
been
done
and
must
be
expected
,
when
marriages
were
made
up
as
had
been
that
marriage
between
Mr.
Palliser
and
his
bride
.
As
he
walked
on
,
thinking
of
his
project
,
he
strove
hard
to
cheat
himself
into
a
belief
that
he
would
do
a
good
thing
in
carrying
Lady
Glencora
away
from
her
husband
.
Bad
as
had
been
his
life
he
had
never
before
done
aught
so
bad
as
that
.
The
more
fixed
his
intention
became
,
the
more
thoroughly
he
came
to
perceive
how
great
and
grievous
was
the
crime
which
he
contemplated
.
To
elope
with
another
man
's
wife
no
longer
appeared
to
him
to
be
a
joke
at
which
such
men
as
he
might
smile
.
But
he
tried
to
think
that
in
this
case
there
would
be
special
circumstances
which
would
almost
justify
him
,
and
also
her
.
They
had
loved
each
other
and
had
sworn
to
love
each
other
with
constancy
.
There
had
been
no
change
in
the
feelings
or
even
in
the
wishes
of
either
of
them
.
But
cold
people
had
come
between
them
with
cold
calculations
,
and
had
separated
them
.
She
had
been
,
he
told
himself
,
made
to
marry
a
man
she
did
not
love
.
If
they
two
loved
each
other
truly
,
would
it
not
still
be
better
that
they
should
come
together
?
Would
not
the
sin
be
forgiven
on
account
of
the
injustice
which
had
been
done
to
them
?
Had
Mr.
Palliser
a
right
to
expect
more
from
a
wife
who
had
been
made
to
marry
him
without
loving
him
?
Then
he
reverted
to
those
dreams
of
a
life
of
love
,
in
some
sunny
country
,
of
which
he
had
spoken
to
Vavasor
,
and
he
strove
to
nourish
them
.
Vavasor
had
laughed
at
him
,
talking
of
Juan
and
Haidée
.
But
Vavasor
,
he
said
to
himself
,
was
a
hard
cold
man
,
who
had
no
touch
of
romance
in
his
character
.
He
would
not
be
laughed
out
of
his
plan
by
such
as
he
,
—
nor
would
he
be
frightened
by
the
threat
of
any
Lambro
who
might
come
after
him
,
whether
he
might
come
in
the
guise
of
indignant
uncle
or
injured
husband
.
He
had
crossed
from
Regent
Street
through
Hanover
Square
,
and
as
he
came
out
by
the
iron
gates
into
Oxford
Street
,
a
poor
wretched
girl
,
lightly
clad
in
thin
raiment
,
into
whose
bones
the
sharp
freezing
air
was
penetrating
,
asked
him
for
money
.
Would
he
give
her
something
to
get
drink
,
so
that
for
a
moment
she
might
feel
the
warmth
of
her
life
renewed
?
Such
midnight
petitions
were
common
enough
in
his
ears
,
and
he
was
passing
on
without
thinking
of
her
.
But
she
was
urgent
,
and
took
hold
of
him
.
"
For
love
of
God
,
"
she
said
,
"
if
it
's
only
a
penny
to
get
a
glass
of
gin
!
Feel
my
hand
,
—
how
cold
it
is
.
"
And
she
strove
to
put
it
up
against
his
face
.
He
looked
round
at
her
and
saw
that
she
was
very
young
,
—
sixteen
,
perhaps
,
at
the
most
,
and
that
she
had
once
,
—
nay
very
lately
,
—
been
exquisitely
pretty
.
There
still
lingered
about
her
eyes
some
remains
of
that
look
of
perfect
innocency
and
pure
faith
which
had
been
hers
not
more
than
twelve
months
since
.
And
now
,
at
midnight
,
in
the
middle
of
the
streets
,
she
was
praying
for
a
pennyworth
of
gin
,
as
the
only
comfort
she
knew
,
or
could
expect
!
"
You
are
cold
!
"
said
he
,
trying
to
speak
to
her
cheerily
.
"
Cold
!
"
said
she
,
repeating
the
word
,
and
striving
to
wrap
herself
closer
in
her
rags
,
as
she
shivered
—
"
Oh
God
!
if
you
knew
what
it
was
to
be
as
cold
as
I
am
!
I
have
nothing
in
the
world
,
—
not
one
penny
,
—
not
a
hole
to
lie
in
!
"
"
We
are
alike
then
,
"
said
Burgo
,
with
a
slight
low
laugh
.
"
I
also
have
nothing
.
You
cannot
be
poorer
than
I
am
.
"
"
You
poor
!
"
she
said
.
And
then
she
looked
up
into
his
face
.
"
Gracious
;
how
beautiful
you
are
!
Such
as
you
are
never
poor
.
"
He
laughed
again
,
—
in
a
different
tone
.
He
always
laughed
when
any
one
told
him
of
his
beauty
.
"
I
am
a
deal
poorer
than
you
,
my
girl
,
"
he
said
.
"
You
have
nothing
.
I
have
thirty
thousand
pounds
worse
than
nothing
.
But
come
along
,
and
I
will
get
you
something
to
eat
.
"
"
Will
you
?
"
said
she
,
eagerly
.
Then
looking
up
at
him
again
,
she
exclaimed
—
"
Oh
,
you
are
so
handsome
!
"
He
took
her
to
a
public-house
and
gave
her
bread
and
meat
and
beer
,
and
stood
by
her
while
she
ate
it
.
She
was
shy
with
him
then
,
and
would
fain
have
taken
it
to
a
corner
by
herself
,
had
he
allowed
her
.
He
perceived
this
,
and
turned
his
back
to
her
,
but
still
spoke
to
her
a
word
or
two
as
she
ate
.
The
woman
at
the
bar
who
served
him
looked
at
him
wonderingly
,
staring
into
his
face
;
and
the
pot-boy
woke
himself
thoroughly
that
he
might
look
at
Burgo
;
and
the
waterman
from
the
cab-stand
stared
at
him
;
and
women
who
came
in
for
gin
looked
almost
lovingly
up
into
his
eyes
.
He
regarded
them
all
not
at
all
,
showing
no
feeling
of
disgrace
at
his
position
,
and
no
desire
to
carry
himself
as
a
ruffler
.
He
quietly
paid
what
was
due
when
the
girl
had
finished
her
meal
,
and
then
walked
with
her
out
of
the
shop
.
"
And
now
,
"
said
he
,
"
what
must
I
do
with
you
?
If
I
give
you
a
shilling
can
you
get
a
bed
?
"
She
told
him
that
she
could
get
a
bed
for
sixpence
.
"
Then
keep
the
other
sixpence
for
your
breakfast
,
"
said
he
.
"
But
you
must
promise
me
that
you
will
buy
no
gin
to-night
.
"
She
promised
him
,
and
then
he
gave
her
his
hand
as
he
wished
her
good
night
;
—
his
hand
,
which
it
had
been
the
dearest
wish
of
Lady
Glencora
to
call
her
own
.
She
took
it
and
pressed
it
to
her
lips
.
"
I
wish
I
might
once
see
you
again
,
"
she
said
,
"
because
you
are
so
good
and
so
beautiful
.
"
He
laughed
again
cheerily
,
and
walked
on
,
crossing
the
street
towards
Cavendish
Square
.
She
stood
looking
at
him
till
he
was
out
of
sight
,
and
then
as
she
moved
away
,
—
let
us
hope
to
the
bed
which
his
bounty
had
provided
,
and
not
to
a
gin-shop
,
—
she
exclaimed
to
herself
again
and
again
—
"
Gracious
,
how
beautiful
he
was
!
"
"
He
's
a
good
un
,
"
the
woman
at
the
public-house
had
said
as
soon
as
he
left
it
;
"
but
,
my
!
did
you
ever
see
a
man
's
face
handsome
as
that
fellow
's
?
"
Poor
Burgo
!
All
who
had
seen
him
since
life
had
begun
with
him
had
loved
him
and
striven
to
cherish
him
.
And
with
it
all
,
to
what
a
state
had
he
come
!
Poor
Burgo
!
had
his
eyes
been
less
brightly
blue
,
and
his
face
less
godlike
in
form
,
it
may
be
that
things
would
have
gone
better
with
him
.
A
sweeter-tempered
man
than
he
never
lived
,
—
nor
one
who
was
of
a
kinder
nature
.
At
this
moment
he
had
barely
money
about
him
to
take
him
down
to
his
aunt
's
house
at
Monkshade
,
and
as
he
had
promised
to
be
there
before
Christmas
Day
,
he
was
bound
to
start
on
the
next
morning
,
before
help
from
Mr.
Magruin
was
possible
.
Nevertheless
,
out
of
his
very
narrow
funds
he
had
given
half
a
crown
to
comfort
the
poor
creature
who
had
spoken
to
him
in
the
street
.
CHAPTER
XXX
.
Containing
a
Love
Letter
.
Vavasor
,
as
he
sat
alone
in
his
room
,
after
Fitzgerald
had
left
him
,
began
to
think
of
the
days
in
which
he
had
before
wished
to
assist
his
friend
in
his
views
with
reference
to
Lady
Glencora
;
—
or
rather
he
began
to
think
of
Alice
's
behaviour
then
,
and
of
Alice
's
words
.
Alice
had
steadfastly
refused
to
give
any
aid
.
No
less
likely
assistant
for
such
a
purpose
could
have
been
selected
.
But
she
had
been
very
earnest
in
declaring
that
it
was
Glencora
's
duty
to
stand
by
her
promise
to
Burgo
.
"
He
is
a
desperate
spendthrift
,
"
Kate
Vavasor
had
said
to
her
.
"
Then
let
her
teach
him
to
be
otherwise
,
"
Alice
had
answered
.
"
That
might
have
been
a
good
reason
for
refusing
his
offer
when
he
first
made
it
;
but
it
can
be
no
excuse
for
untruth
,
now
that
she
has
told
him
that
she
loves
him
!
"
"
If
a
woman
,
"
she
had
said
again
,
"
wo
n't
venture
her
fortune
for
the
man
she
loves
,
her
love
is
not
worth
having
.
"
All
this
George
Vavasor
remembered
now
;
and
as
he
remembered
it
he
asked
himself
whether
the
woman
that
had
once
loved
him
would
venture
her
fortune
for
him
still
.
Though
his
sister
had
pressed
him
on
the
subject
with
all
the
vehemence
that
she
could
use
,
he
had
hardly
hitherto
made
up
his
mind
that
he
really
desired
to
marry
Alice
.
There
had
grown
upon
him
lately
certain
Bohemian
propensities
,
—
a
love
of
absolute
independence
in
his
thoughts
as
well
as
actions
,
—
which
were
antagonistic
to
marriage
.
He
was
almost
inclined
to
think
that
marriage
was
an
old-fashioned
custom
,
fitted
indeed
well
enough
for
the
usual
dull
life
of
the
world
at
large
,
—
as
many
men
both
in
heathen
and
in
Christian
ages
have
taught
themselves
to
think
of
religion
,
—
but
which
was
not
adapted
to
his
advanced
intelligence
.
If
he
loved
any
woman
he
loved
his
cousin
Alice
.
If
he
thoroughly
respected
any
woman
he
respected
her
.
But
that
idea
of
tying
himself
down
to
a
household
was
in
itself
distasteful
to
him
.
"
It
is
a
thing
terrible
to
think
of
,
"
he
once
said
to
a
congenial
friend
in
these
days
of
his
life
,
"
that
a
man
should
give
permission
to
a
priest
to
tie
him
to
another
human
being
like
a
Siamese
twin
,
so
that
all
power
of
separate
and
solitary
action
should
be
taken
from
him
for
ever
!
The
beasts
of
the
field
do
not
treat
each
other
so
badly
.
They
neither
drink
themselves
drunk
,
nor
eat
themselves
stupid
;
—
nor
do
they
bind
themselves
together
in
a
union
which
both
would
have
to
hate
.
"
In
this
way
George
Vavasor
,
trying
to
imitate
the
wisdom
of
the
brutes
,
had
taught
himself
some
theories
of
a
peculiar
nature
.
But
,
nevertheless
,
as
he
thought
of
Alice
Vavasor
on
this
occasion
,
he
began
to
feel
that
if
a
Siamese
twin
were
necessary
for
him
,
she
of
all
others
was
the
woman
to
whom
he
would
wish
to
be
so
bound
.
And
if
he
did
it
at
all
,
he
must
do
it
now
.
Under
the
joint
instigation
of
himself
and
his
sister
,
—
as
he
thought
,
and
perhaps
not
altogether
without
reason
,
—
she
had
broken
her
engagement
with
Mr.
Grey
.
That
she
would
renew
it
again
if
left
to
herself
,
he
believed
probable
.
And
then
,
despite
that
advanced
intelligence
which
had
taught
him
to
regard
all
forms
and
ceremonies
with
the
eye
of
a
philosopher
,
he
had
still
enough
of
human
frailty
about
him
to
feel
keenly
alive
to
the
pleasure
of
taking
from
John
Grey
the
prize
which
John
Grey
had
so
nearly
taken
from
him
.
If
Alice
could
have
been
taught
to
think
as
he
did
as
to
the
absurdity
of
those
indissoluble
ties
,
that
would
have
been
better
.
But
nothing
would
have
been
more
impossible
than
the
teaching
of
such
a
lesson
to
his
cousin
Alice
.
George
Vavasor
was
a
man
of
courage
,
and
dared
do
most
things
;
—
but
he
would
not
have
dared
to
commence
the
teaching
of
such
a
lesson
to
her
.
And
now
,
at
this
moment
,
what
was
his
outlook
into
life
generally
?
He
had
very
high
ambition
,
and
a
fair
hope
of
gratifying
it
if
he
could
only
provide
that
things
should
go
well
with
him
for
a
year
or
so
.
He
was
still
a
poor
man
,
having
been
once
nearly
a
rich
man
;
but
still
so
much
of
the
result
of
his
nearly
acquired
riches
remained
to
him
,
that
on
the
strength
of
them
he
might
probably
find
his
way
into
Parliament
.
He
had
paid
the
cost
of
the
last
attempt
,
and
might
,
in
a
great
degree
,
carry
on
this
present
attempt
on
credit
.
If
he
succeeded
there
would
be
open
to
him
a
mode
of
life
,
agreeable
in
itself
,
and
honourable
among
men
.
But
how
was
he
to
bear
the
cost
of
this
for
the
next
year
,
or
the
next
two
years
?
His
grandfather
was
still
alive
,
and
would
probably
live
over
that
period
.
If
he
married
Alice
he
would
do
so
with
no
idea
of
cheating
her
out
of
her
money
.
She
should
learn
,
—
nay
,
she
had
already
learned
from
his
own
lips
,
—
how
perilous
was
his
enterprise
.
But
he
knew
her
to
be
a
woman
who
would
boldly
risk
all
in
money
,
though
no
consideration
would
induce
her
to
stir
a
hair
's
breadth
towards
danger
in
reputation
.
Towards
teaching
her
that
doctrine
at
which
I
have
hinted
,
he
would
not
have
dared
to
make
an
attempt
;
but
he
felt
that
he
should
have
no
repugnance
to
telling
her
that
he
wanted
to
spend
all
her
money
in
the
first
year
or
two
of
their
married
life
!
He
was
still
in
his
arm-chair
,
thinking
of
all
this
,
with
that
small
untasted
modicum
of
brandy
and
water
beside
him
,
when
he
heard
some
distant
Lambeth
clock
strike
three
from
over
the
river
.
Then
he
rose
from
his
seat
,
and
taking
the
candles
in
his
hand
,
sat
himself
down
at
a
writing-desk
on
the
other
side
of
the
room
.
"
I
need
n't
send
it
when
it
's
written
,
"
he
said
to
himself
,
"
and
the
chances
are
that
I
wo
n't
.
"
Then
he
took
his
paper
,
and
wrote
as
follows
:
—
Dear
Alice
,
The
time
was
when
the
privilege
was
mine
of
beginning
my
letters
to
you
with
a
warmer
show
of
love
than
the
above
word
contains
,
—
when
I
might
and
did
call
you
dearest
;
but
I
lost
that
privilege
through
my
own
folly
,
and
since
that
it
has
been
accorded
to
another
.
But
you
have
found
,
—
with
a
thorough
honesty
of
purpose
than
which
I
know
nothing
greater
,
—
that
it
has
behoved
you
to
withdraw
that
privilege
also
.
I
need
hardly
say
that
I
should
not
have
written
as
I
now
write
,
had
you
not
found
it
expedient
to
do
as
you
have
done
.
I
now
once
again
ask
you
to
be
my
wife
.
In
spite
of
all
that
passed
in
those
old
days
,
—
of
all
the
selfish
folly
of
which
I
was
then
guilty
,
I
think
you
know
,
and
at
the
time
knew
,
that
I
ever
loved
you
.
I
claim
to
say
for
myself
that
my
love
to
you
was
true
from
first
to
last
,
and
I
claim
from
you
belief
for
that
statement
.
Indeed
I
do
not
think
that
you
ever
doubted
my
love
.
Nevertheless
,
when
you
told
me
that
I
might
no
longer
hope
to
make
you
my
wife
,
I
had
no
word
of
remonstrance
that
I
could
utter
.
You
acted
as
any
woman
would
act
whom
love
had
not
made
a
fool
.
Then
came
the
episode
of
Mr.
Grey
;
and
bitter
as
have
been
my
feelings
whilst
that
engagement
lasted
,
I
never
made
any
attempt
to
come
between
you
and
the
life
you
had
chosen
.
In
saying
this
I
do
not
forget
the
words
which
I
spoke
last
summer
at
Basle
,
when
,
as
far
as
I
knew
,
you
still
intended
that
he
should
be
your
husband
.
But
what
I
said
then
was
nothing
to
that
which
,
with
much
violence
,
I
refrained
from
saying
.
Whether
you
remember
those
few
words
I
cannot
tell
;
but
certainly
you
would
not
have
remembered
them
,
—
would
not
even
have
noticed
them
,
—
had
your
heart
been
at
Nethercoats
.
But
all
this
is
nothing
.
You
are
now
again
a
free
woman
;
and
once
again
I
ask
you
to
be
my
wife
.
We
are
both
older
than
we
were
when
we
loved
before
,
and
will
both
be
prone
to
think
of
marriage
in
a
somewhat
different
light
.
Then
personal
love
for
each
other
was
most
in
our
thoughts
.
God
forbid
that
it
should
not
be
much
in
our
thoughts
now
!
Perhaps
I
am
deceiving
myself
in
saying
that
it
is
not
even
now
stronger
in
mine
than
any
other
consideration
.
But
we
have
both
reached
that
time
of
life
,
when
it
is
probable
that
in
any
proposition
of
marriage
we
should
think
more
of
our
adaptability
to
each
other
than
we
did
before
.
For
myself
I
know
that
there
is
much
in
my
character
and
disposition
to
make
me
unfit
to
marry
a
woman
of
the
common
stamp
.
You
know
my
mode
of
life
,
and
what
are
my
hopes
and
my
chances
of
success
.
I
run
great
risk
of
failing
.
It
may
be
that
I
shall
encounter
ruin
where
I
look
for
reputation
and
a
career
of
honour
.
The
chances
are
perhaps
more
in
favour
of
ruin
than
of
success
.
But
,
whatever
may
be
the
chances
,
I
shall
go
on
as
long
as
any
means
of
carrying
on
the
fight
are
at
my
disposal
.
If
you
were
my
wife
to-morrow
I
should
expect
to
use
your
money
