e you saying?'

'Of course it surprises you, Adela. I too was surprised. I thought
there might be no need to speak to you of things you ought never to hear
mentioned, but now I am afraid I have no choice. The sad truth is that
Mr. Eldon has utterly disgraced himself. When he ought to have been here
to attend Mr. Mutimer's funeral, he was living at Paris and other such
places in the most shocking dissipation. Things are reported of him
which I could not breathe to you; he is a bad young man!'

The inclusiveness of that description! Mrs. Waltham's head quivered as
she gave utterance to the words, for at least half of the feeling
she expressed was genuine. To her hearer the final phrase was like a
thunderstroke. In a certain profound work on the history of her country
which she had been in the habit of studying, the author, discussing the
character of Oliver Cromwell, achieved a most impressive climax in the
words, 'He was a bold, bad man.' The adjective 'bad' derived for Adela
a dark energy from her recollection of that passage; it connoted every
imaginable phase of moral degradation. 'Dissipation' too; to her pure
mind the word had a terrible sound; it sketched in lurid outlines
hideous lurking places of vice and disease. 'Paris and other such
places.' With the name of Paris she associated a feeling of reprobation;
Paris was the head-quarters of sin--at all events on earth. In Paris
people went to the theatre on Sunday; that fact alone shed storm-light
over the iniquitous capital.

She stood mute with misery, appalled, horrified. It did not occur to her
to doubt the truth of her mother's accusations; the strange circumstance
of Hubert's absence when every sentiment of decency would have summoned
him home corroborated the charge. And she had talked familiarly with
this man a few hours ago! Her head swam.

'Mr. Mutimer knew it,' proceeded her mother, noting with satisfaction
the effect she was producing. 'That was why he destroyed the will in
which he had left everything to Mr. Eldon; I have no doubt the grief
killed him. And one thing more I may tell you. Mr. Eldon's illness
was the result of a wound he received in some shameful quarrel; it is
believed that he fought a duel.'

The girl sank back upon her chair. She was white and breathed with
difficulty.

'You will understand now, my dear,' Mrs. Waltham continued, more in her
ordinary voice, 'why it so shocked me to hear that you had been seen
talking with Mr. Eldo