r this brazen adventuress appoint her own time for explaining
herself. It is too deliberately insulting to see her sail out of the
room--with a clergyman of the Church of England opening the door for
her--as if she was laying me under an obligation! I can forgive much,
Lady Janet--including the terms in which you thought it decent to order
me out of your house. I am quite willing to accept the offer of your
boudoir, as the expression on your part of a better frame of mind. But
even Christian Charity has its limits. The continued presence of that
wretch under your roof is, you will permit me to remark, not only a
monument of your own weakness, but a perfectly insufferable insult to
Me."

There she stopped abruptly--not for want of words, but for want of a
listener.

Lady Janet was not even pretending to attend to her. Lady Janet, with a
deliberate rudeness entirely foreign to her usual habits, was composedly
busying herself in arranging the various papers scattered about the
table. Some she tied together with little morsels of string; some
she placed under paper-weights; some she deposited in the fantastic
pigeon-holes of a little Japanese cabinet--working with a placid
enjoyment of her own orderly occupation, and perfectly unaware, to all
outward appearance, that any second person was in the room. She looked
up, with her papers in both hands, when Grace stopped, and said,
quietly,

"Have you done?"

"Is your ladyship's purpose in sending for me to treat me with studied
rudeness?" Grace retorted, angrily.

"My purpose in sending for you is to say something as soon as you will
allow me the opportunity."

The impenetrable composure of that reply took Grace completely by
surprise. She had no retort ready. In sheer astonishment she waited
silently with her eyes riveted on the mistress of the house.

Lady Janet put down her papers, and settled herself comfortably in the
easy-chair, preparatory to opening the interview on her side.

"The little that I have to say to you," she began, "may be said in a
question. Am I right in supposing that you have no present employment,
and that a little advance in money (delicately offered) would be very
acceptable to you?"

"Do you mean to insult me, Lady Janet?"

"Certainly not. I mean to ask you a question."

"Your question is an insult."

"My question is a kindness, if you will only understand it as it is
intended. I don't complain of your not understanding it. I don't eve