'

'Of course it must, my dear. However, Arthur came with Mr. Herries to
dine there, and met Mr. Gardner as an old friend; so he must be the
same, and I am particularly anxious for some account of him. I must tell
you why--I know I am safe with you--but you will be very much surprised,
after all her declarations--'

'O, Lady Elizabeth, it cannot be that.'

'I have always been prepared for something of the sort. But what, my
dear?' seeing her agitation, and quickly infected by it.

'O, don't let her,' was all Violet could utter.

'Tell me! what is he?--what do you know of him? They spoke of him as
once having been extravagant--'

Violet drew a long breath, and tried to speak with composure. 'He is a
dreadful man, gambling, betting, dissipated--such a person that Arthur
never lets him come near me or the children. How could he dare think of
her?'

'Can it be the same?' said Lady Elizabeth, infinitely shocked, but
catching at the hope. 'This man is Lady Fotheringham's nephew.'

'Yes, he is,' said Violet sadly. 'There is no other cousin named Mark.
Why, don't you remember all the talk about Mrs. Finch?'

So little had Lady Elizabeth heeded scandal, that she had hardly known
these stories, and had not identified them with the name of Gardner.
Still she strove to think the best. 'Arthur will be able to tell me,'
she said; 'but every one seems fully satisfied of his reformation--the
curate of the parish and all. I do not mean that I could bear to think
of her being attached to a person who had been to blame. Her own account
of him alarmed me enough, poor dear child, but when I hear of the
clergyman, and Theresa Marstone, and all admiring his deep feeling of
repentance--'

'How can he be so wicked!' exclaimed Violet.

'You are convinced that he is not sincere?'

'Why, of course, one does not like to say anything uncharitable; but
there is something shocking in the notion of his talking of being good.
If he did repent he would know how horrible it would be for him to marry
Emma--'

'He does affect great humility. He declares that no one can be more
conscious of his unfitness than himself; but he was betrayed into this
confession of his sentiments--Emma's purity and devotedness, as Theresa
writes to me, having been such powerful instruments in leading him to
a better course. If it was not for poor Emma's fortune, one might trust
this more! Oh! Violet, I never so much was inclined to wish that her
brother had been