r one of them
they observed a group of four standing half in shadow. One of them
Julian instantly recognised as the very vilest of the Saint Werner "fast
men;" another was Hazlet; there could be no doubt as to the company in
which he was.

For one second, Julian turned back to look in sheer astonishment,--he
could hardly believe the testimony of his own eyes. The figure which he
took to be Hazlet hastily retreated, and Julian half-persuaded himself
that he was mistaken.

"Did you see who that was?" asked Lillyston sadly.

"Yes," said Julian; "one of the simple ones; `but he knoweth not that
the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell.'"

"You must speak to him, Julian."

"I will."

As Hazlet was out when he called, Julian wrote on his card, "Dear H,
will you come to tea at 8? Yours ever, J Home."

At 8 o'clock accordingly Hazlet was seated, as he had not been for a
very long time, by Julian's fireside. Julian's conversation interested
him, and he could not help feeling a little humbled at the unworthiness
which prevented him from more frequently enjoying it. It was not till
after tea, when they had pulled their chairs to the fire, that Julian
said, "Hazlet, I was sorry to see you in bad company last night."

"Me!" said Hazlet, feigning surprise.

"You!"

Hazlet saw that all attempt at concealment was useless. "For God's
sake, don't tell my mother, or any of the Ildown people," he said,
turning pale.

"Is it likely I should? Yet my doing so would be the very least harm
that could happen to you, Hazlet, if you adopt these courses. I had
rather see you afraid of the sin than of the detection."

Hazlet stammered out in self-defence one of those commonplaces which he
had heard but too often in the society of those who "put evil for good
and good for evil."

Julian very quietly tore the miserable sophism to shreds, and said,
"There is but one way to describe these vices, Hazlet,--they are deadly,
bitter, ruinous."

"Oh, they are very common. Lots of men--"

"Tush!" said Julian; "their commonness, if indeed it be so, does not
diminish their deadliness. Not to put the question on the religious
ground at all, I fully agree with Carlyle that, on the mere
consideration of expedience and physical fact, nothing can be more
fatal, more calamitous than `to burn away in mad waste the divine aromas
and celestial elements from our existence; to change our holy of holies
into a place of