ghyetwhensherose(forIlookedbacktoseeyoubothwalkaway)Ithoughtherfigureandcarriagegood.Theseforeignersunderstandgrace.WhatthedevilhasshedonewithPelet?Shehasnotbeenmarriedtohimthreemonths—hemustbeaspoon!”
IwouldnotletthemistakegotoofarIdidnotlikeitmuch.
“Pelet?HowyourheadrunsonMons.andMadamePelet!Youarealwaystalkingaboutthem.IwishtothegodsyouhadwedMdlle.Zoraideyourself!”
“WasthatyounggentlewomannotMdlle.Zoraide?”
“NonorMadameZoraideeither.”
“Whydidyoutellalie,then?”
“Itoldnoliebutyouareissuchahurry.Sheisapupilofmine—aSwissgirl.”
“Andofcourseyouaregoingtobemarriedtoher?Don’tdenythat.”
“Married!IthinkIshall—ifFatesparesusbothtenweekslonger.Thatismylittlewildstrawberry,Hunsden,whosesweetnessmademecarelessofyourhothousegrapes.”
“Stop!Noboasting—noheroicsIwon’thearthem.Whatisshe?Towhatcastedoesshebelong?”
Ismiled.Hunsdenunconsciouslylaidstressonthewordcaste,and,infact,republican,lord-haterashewas,Hunsdenwasasproudofhisold——shireblood,ofhisdescentandfamilystanding,respectableandrespectedthroughlonggenerationsback,asanypeerintherealmofhisNormanraceandConquest-datedtitle.Hunsdenwouldaslittlehavethoughtoftakingawifefromacasteinferiortohisown,asaStanleywouldthinkofmatingwithaCobden.IenjoyedthesurpriseIshouldgiveIenjoyedthetriumphofmypracticeoverhistheoryandleaningoverthetable,andutteringthewordsslowlybutwithrepressedglee,Isaidconcisely—
“Sheisalace-mender.”
Hunsdenexaminedme.HedidnotSAYhewassurprised,butsurprisedhewashehadhisownnotionsofgoodbreeding.IsawhesuspectedIwasgoingtotakesomeveryrashstepbutrepressingdeclamationorremonstrance,heonlyanswered—
“Well,youarethebestjudgeofyourownaffairs.Alace-mendermaymakeagoodwifeaswellasaladybutofcourseyouhavetakencaretoascertainthoroughlythatsinceshehasnoteducation,fortuneorstation,sheiswellfurnishedwithsuchnaturalqualitiesasyouthinkmostlikelytoconducetoyourhappiness.Hasshemanyrelations?”
“NoneinBrussels.”
“Thatisbetter.Relationsareoftentherealevilinsuchcases.Icannotbutthinkthatatrainofinferiorconnectionswouldhavebeenaboretoyoutoyourlife’send.”
Aftersittinginsilencealittlewhilelonger,Hunsdenrose,andwasquietlybiddingmegoodeveningthepolite,consideratemannerinwhichheofferedmeh