manded. She had let fall a bunch of flowers from her frowsy
dress upon the pulpit desk and had left them there. An unpardonable
piece of negligence.

"'I thought you liked violets?' the foolish old woman said, looking
ashamed; and I told her hardily that I loathed the sight of them and
hoped never to look upon one again.

"This all seems only laughable to you. I can hear you snigger over
it--and me! Laugh at me, but don't hate me as I do myself. A man
nearing forty years of age, not particularly anything--either clever,
or eloquent, or good-looking, or attractive. Don't I know it all? I
can't write of it----

"And yet this one thing more I must tell you before I close.

"As I parted from the sensible, self-respecting, self-contained Jessica
the other day--I protest to you my reliance on her womanly dignity and
sturdy reasonableness has been to me as the shadow of a great rock in a
weary land--I ran against her father, the old vicar. He put his hand on
my shoulder, and looked at me with a kind of playful reproof in the
face.

"'Ah, how long is this shilly-shallying to go on?' he asked.

"... I broke off there to see Mrs Carter. It has hitherto been a relief
to see her. The only laughing I've done since I've been here has been
with her. She did not laugh to-day. She came to me because she had no
other friend, she said. She could not trust the gabbling womankind. Her
husband had changed to her. He had become all at once unreasonable and
unkind. He had told her that he did not trust her. He would no longer
allow her to go to church, he had forbidden her to receive me again in
his house.

"In utter bewilderment I could only ask her why. And then she burst
into tears, and then--then there was another scene.

"Mrs Bust was no doubt listening at the door. At any rate she burst in
upon us. I, for my part, was not sorry, but poor Mrs Carter--! Poor?
Fool, idiot!

"She is forty years of age, her husband is a decent, honourable sort of
fellow who worships her----

"That finishes the Carter friendship.

"If it were not for Jessica--good, matter-of-fact, reliable Jessica,
welcome contrast to these hysterical, half-mad women, who laugh at and
despise her--where should I be, Charles?...

* * * * *

"1_st February_.

"You have been a true friend to me and to her. I shall see you soon
(D.V.), and then no doubt I shall say--nothin