wicked,
that I can't forget; I hate myself for still--for still--'

There was a word Letty could not hear, only her listening heart divined
it.

'Dear Adela! pray for strength, and it will be sure to come to you. How
hard it is to know myself so happy when you have so much trouble!'

'I could have borne it better but for this new pain. I don't think I
should ever have shown it; even you wouldn't have known all I felt,
Letty. I should have hoped for him--I don't mean hoped on my own
account, but that he might know how wicked he had been. How--how can a
man do things so unworthy of himself, when it's so beautiful to be good
and faithful? I think he did care a little for me once, Letty.'

'Don't let us talk of him, pet.'

'You are right; we mustn't. His name ought never to pass my lips, only
in my prayers.'

She grew calmer, and they sat hand in hand.

'Try to make your mother understand,' advised Letty. 'Say that it is
impossible you should ever accept him.'

'She won't believe that, I'm sure she won't. And to think that, even
if I did it only to please her, people would believe I had married him
because he is rich!'

Letty spoke with more emphasis than hitherto.

'But you cannot and must not do such a thing to please any one, Adela!
It is wrong even to think of it. Nothing, nothing can justify that.'

How strong she was in the purity of her own love, good little Letty! So
they talked together, and mingled their tears, and the room was made a
sacred place as by the presence of sorrowing angels.

CHAPTER XII

The New Wanley Lecture Hall had been publicly dedicated to the service
of the New Wanley Commonwealth, and only in one respect did the day's
proceedings fall short of Mutimer's expectations. He had hoped to have
all the Waltham family at his luncheon party, but in the event Alfred
alone felt himself able to accept the invitation. Mutimer had even
nourished the hope that something might happen before that day to allow
of Adela's appearing not merely in the character of a guest, but, as it
were, _ex officio_. By this time he had resolutely forbidden his eyes to
stray to the right hand or the left, and kept them directed with hungry,
relentless steadiness straight along the path of his desires. He had
received no second letter from his mother, nor had Alice anything
to report of danger-signals at home; from Emma herself came a letter
regularly once a week, a letter of perfect patience, chiefly con