rue meaning. He would afterwards talk
to you with all the smiling affability and freedom of an old friend.
Every one despised him for his idleness and folly, no less conspicuous
in his words than his actions; but no one feared him, and few were angry
with him, till after the detection of his commerce with _Betty_, and his
inhuman treatment of his father."

"Have you good reasons for supposing him to have been illicitly
connected with that girl?"

"Yes. Such as cannot be discredited. It would not be proper for me to
state these proofs. Nay, he never denied it. When reminded, on one
occasion, of the inference which every impartial person would draw from
appearances, he acknowledged, with his usual placid effrontery, that the
inference was unavoidable. He even mentioned other concurring and
contemporary incidents, which had eluded the observation of his
censurer, and which added still more force to the conclusion. He was
studious to palliate the vices of this woman, as long as he was her only
paramour; but, after her marriage with his father, the tone was changed.
He confessed that she was tidy, notable, industrious; but, then, she
was a prostitute. When charged with being instrumental in making her
such, and when his companions dwelt upon the depravity of reviling her
for vices which she owed to him, 'True,' he would say, 'there is
depravity and folly in the conduct you describe. Make me out, if you
please, to be a villain. What then? I was talking, not of myself, but of
Betty. Still this woman is a prostitute. If it were I that made her
such, with more confidence may I make the charge. But think not that I
blame Betty. Place me in her situation, and I should have acted just so.
I should have formed just such notions of my interest, and pursued it by
the same means. Still, say I, I would fain have a different woman for my
father's wife, and the mistress of his family.'"

CHAPTER XXVI.

This conversation was interrupted by a messenger from my wife, who
desired my return immediately. I had some hopes of meeting with Mervyn,
some days having now elapsed since his parting from us, and not being
conscious of any extraordinary motives for delay. It was Wortley,
however, and not Mervyn, to whom I was called.

My friend came to share with me his suspicions and inquietudes
respecting Welbeck and Mervyn. An accident had newly happened which had
awakened these suspicions afresh. He desired a patient audience while he
e