“Always devoted to business, Vholes!” cried Richard.

“Yes, Mr. C.,” he returned, “the interests of clients are never to be neglected, sir.  They are paramount in the thoughts of a professional man like myself, who wishes to preserve a good name among his fellow-practitioners and society at large.  My denying myself the pleasure of the present agreeable conversation may not be wholly irrespective of your own interests, Mr. C.”

Richard expressed himself quite sure of that and lighted Mr. Vholes out.  On his return he told us, more than once, that Vholes was a good fellow, a safe fellow, a man who did what he pretended to do, a very good fellow indeed!  He was so defiant about it that it struck me he had begun to doubt Mr. Vholes.

Then he threw himself on the sofa, tired out; and Ada and I put things to rights, for they had no other servant than the woman who attended to the chambers.  My dear girl had a cottage piano there and quietly sat down to sing some of Richard’s favourites, the lamp being first removed into the next room, as he complained of its hurting his eyes.

I sat between them, at my dear girl’s side, and felt very melancholy listening to her sweet voice.  I think Richard did too; I think he darkened the room for that reason.  She had been singing some time, rising between whiles to bend over him and speak to him, when Mr. Woodcourt came in.  Then he sat down by Richard and half playfully, half earnestly, quite naturally and easily, found out how he felt and where he had been all day.  Presently he proposed to accompany him in a short walk on one of the bridges, as it was a moonlight airy night; and Richard readily consenting, they went out together.

They left my dear girl still sitting at the piano and me still sitting beside her.  When they were gone out, I drew my arm round her waist.  She put her left hand in mine (I was sitting on that side), but kept her right upon the keys, going over and over them without striking any note.

“Esther, my dearest,” she said, breaking silence, “Richard is never so well and I am never so easy about him as when he is with Allan Woodcourt.  We have to thank you for that.”

I pointed out to my darling how this could scarcely be, because Mr. Woodcourt had come to her cousin John’s house and had known us all there, and because he had always liked Richard, and Richard had always liked him, and—­and so forth.

“All true,” said Ada, “but that he is such a devoted friend to us we owe to you.”

I thought it best to let my dear girl have her way and to say no more about it.  So I said as much.  I said it lightly, because I felt her trembling.

“Esther, my dearest, I want to be a good wife, a very, very good wife indeed.  You shall teach me.”

I teach!  I said no more, for I noticed the hand that was fluttering over the keys, and I knew that it was not I who ought to speak, that it was she who had something to say to me.