'Indeed! With papa.'

'No, in my own mind. I have seen enough of the business to find that I
could in ten years quadruple my capital, and in the meantime maintain her
in the manner she prefers.'

'You are quite sure she prefers it?'

'She has done so ever since she could exercise a choice. I should feel
myself doing her an injustice if I were to take advantage of any
preference she may entertain for me to condemn her to what would be to
her a dreary banishment.'

'Not with you,' cried Phoebe.

'You know nothing about it, Phoebe. You have never led such a life, and
you it would not hurt--attract, I mean; but lovely, fascinating, formed
for admiration, and craving for excitement as she is, she is a being that
can only exist in society. She would be miserable in homely
retirement--I mean she would prey on herself. I could not ask it of her.
If she consented, it would be without knowing her own tastes. No; all
that remains is to find out whether she can submit to owe her wealth to
our business.'

'And shall you?'

'I could not but defer it till I should meet her here,' said Robert. 'I
shrink from seeing her with those cousins, or hearing her name with
theirs. Phoebe, imagine my feelings when, going into Mervyn's club with
him, I heard "Rashe Charteris and Cilly Sandbrook" contemptuously
discussed by those very names, and jests passing on their independent
ways. I know how it is. Those people work on her spirit of enterprise,
and she--too guileless and innocent to heed appearances. Phoebe, you do
not wonder that I am nearly mad!'

'Poor Robin!' said Phoebe affectionately. 'But, indeed, I am sure, if
Lucy once had a hint--no, one could not tell her, it would shock her too
much; but if she had the least idea that people could be so impertinent,'
and Phoebe's cheeks glowed with shame and indignation, 'she would only
wish to go away as far as she could for fear of seeing any of them again.
I am sure they were not gentlemen, Robin.'

'A man must be supereminently a gentleman to respect a woman who does not
_make_ him do so,' said Robert mournfully. 'That Miss Charteris! Oh!
that she were banished to Siberia!'

Phoebe meditated a few moments; then looking up, said, 'I beg your
pardon, Robin, but it does strike me that, if you think that this kind of
life is not good for Lucilla, it cannot be right to sacrifice your own
higher prospects to enable her to continue it.'

'I tell you, Phoebe,' said he,