active turn of mind. If he were he would have absolutely at the first
idea shunted off the evil proposal which I happened to make to you.
You would never have yielded to the temptation. Think just for a
moment: would Kitty Sharston have done this thing?"

"Of course not; why do you ask?"

"Think again, would Mary Bateman have done this thing?"

"Again, why do you ask?"

"My dear Florence, I ask in order to reassure you that, sensitive and
keen as you think your little inward monitor, it is at best but a poor
weakling. Now, the conscience of Kitty and the conscience of Mary
would have risen up in hot protest, and the temptation would not have
been a temptation to them, but it was to you because of the poor health
of your little monitor. Believe me, the monitor is in a bad way, and
if you will struggle through the remorse of the next couple of days it
will simply die."

"And then I shall be lost," said Florence, with a frightened look in
her face.

"Oh, you will live a very comfortable life if you take care of your
health; you have a good sixty years before you. You can do a good deal
in sixty years, and now for goodness' sake stop talking about the
matter. It is done and cannot be undone. I want to say something to
you myself."

"But at the end of sixty years I shall die all the same," said
Florence. "Oh, Bertha, I go mad when I think of dying. Oh, Bertha!
Bertha!"

Even Bertha felt a momentary sense of terror when she looked into
Florence's eyes. She backed away from her and stood by the table.

"Come, come, my dear," she said, "you'll get over all this," but still
she avoided looking at Florence's eyes.

"What do you want with me?" said Florence at last, restlessly; "I must
sleep. I wish you would go away."

"I will when I have made my request."

"What is that?"

"I want you to give me twenty pounds."

"Twenty pounds! Why, you know I have not got it."

"Practically you have, and I want it. I want it early to-morrow
morning."

"Now, Bertha, you must be mad."

"Not at all; I am abundantly sane. That essay which so excited the
spectators to-night was worth twenty pounds. I mean you to buy it from
me, and those are my terms."

"You know I cannot. I cannot imagine what you mean by coming to me in
this fashion."

"Without twenty pounds I shall be undone," said Bertha; "I need it to
pay some debts. If the debts are not paid I shall be exposed, and if I
go under, you, my pretty Flor