the aristocracy the girl could
quite wonder why, if they were so in "one way," they should require to be
so in two. She thoroughly knew, however, how many ways Mrs. Jordan
counted in. It all meant simply that her fate was pressing her close. If
that fate was to be sealed at the matrimonial altar it was perhaps not
remarkable that she shouldn't come all at once to the scratch of
overwhelming a mere telegraphist. It would necessarily present to such a
person a prospect of regretful sacrifice. Lord Rye--if it _was_ Lord
Rye--wouldn't be "kind" to a nonentity of that sort, even though people
quite as good had been.

One Sunday afternoon in November they went, by arrangement, to church
together; after which--on the inspiration of the moment the arrangement
had not included it--they proceeded to Mrs. Jordan's lodging in the
region of Maida Vale. She had raved to her friend about her service of
predilection; she was excessively "high," and had more than once wished
to introduce the girl to the same comfort and privilege. There was a
thick brown fog and Maida Vale tasted of acrid smoke; but they had been
sitting among chants and incense and wonderful music, during which,
though the effect of such things on her mind was great, our young lady
had indulged in a series of reflexions but indirectly related to them.
One of these was the result of Mrs. Jordan's having said to her on the
way, and with a certain fine significance, that Lord Rye had been for
some time in town. She had spoken as if it were a circumstance to which
little required to be added--as if the bearing of such an item on her
life might easily be grasped. Perhaps it was the wonder of whether Lord
Rye wished to marry her that made her guest, with thoughts straying to
that quarter, quite determine that some other nuptials also should take
place at Saint Julian's. Mr. Mudge was still an attendant at his
Wesleyan chapel, but this was the least of her worries--it had never even
vexed her enough for her to so much as name it to Mrs. Jordan. Mr.
Mudge's form of worship was one of several things--they made up in
superiority and beauty for what they wanted in number--that she had long
ago settled he should take from her, and she had now moreover for the
first time definitely established her own. Its principal feature was
that it was to be the same as that of Mrs. Jordan and Lord Rye; which was
indeed very much what she said to her hostess as they sat together late