e, never have known you."

"And might have been the better without any of these things."

"No man ever had a better friend than Lady Laura has been to me.
Malice, wicked and false as the devil, has lately joined our names
together to the incredible injury of both of us; but it has not been
her fault."

"You are energetic in defending her."

"And so would she be in defending me. Circumstances threw us together
and made us friends. Her father and her brother were my friends. I
happened to be of service to her husband. We belonged to the same
party. And therefore--because she has been unfortunate in her
marriage--people tell lies of her."

"It is a pity he should--not die, and leave her," said Madame Goesler
slowly.

"Why so?"

"Because then you might justify yourself in defending her by making
her your wife." She paused, but he made no answer to this. "You are
in love with her," she said.

"It is untrue."

"Mr. Finn!"

"Well, what would you have? I am not in love with her. To me she is
no more than my sister. Were she as free as air I should not ask her
to be my wife. Can a man and woman feel no friendship without being
in love with each other?"

"I hope they may," said Madame Goesler. Had he been lynx-eyed he
might have seen that she blushed; but it required quick eyes to
discover a blush on Madame Goesler's face. "You and I are friends."

"Indeed we are," he said, grasping her hand as he took his leave.

VOLUME II

CHAPTER XLI

"I hope I'm not distrusted"

Gerard Maule, as the reader has been informed, wrote three lines to
his dearest Adelaide to inform her that his father would not assent
to the suggestion respecting Maule Abbey which had been made by
Lady Chiltern, and then took no further steps in the matter. In the
fortnight next after the receipt of his letter nothing was heard of
him at Harrington Hall, and Adelaide, though she made no complaint,
was unhappy. Then came the letter from Mr. Spooner,--with all its
rich offers, and Adelaide's mind was for a while occupied with
wrath against her second suitor. But as the egregious folly of Mr.
Spooner,--for to her thinking the aspirations of Mr. Spooner were
egregiously foolish,--died out of her mind, her thoughts reverted to
her engagement. Why did not the man come to her, or why did he not
write?

She had received from Lady Chiltern an invitation to remain with
them,--the Chilterns,--till her marriage. "But, dear Lady Chiltern,
who k