“Why strangest?” interrupted Yorke.

“I think Mrs. Carew the elder meant to imply that this young lady, being possessed of great physical advantages, should have been the last person selected by Mr. Hardcastle as his housekeeper, and the companion of his pupils, and the more so since he was well aware, as it afterward turned out, that she had already succeeded in victimizing (such was Mrs. Carew’s expression) one of these very lads.  That was years ago, it is true; and it might well be imagined that a lady of the mature age of five-and-thirty might have outlived her charms; but in her particular case this was not so.  Miss Hardcastle, as she was called, was still very beautiful, high-spirited, and an excellent horsewoman.  She was also—­if that had been necessary to obtain her purpose—­well-read and accomplished.  Being clever, good-looking, and not easily shocked, however, she was more than competent to secure the affections of young Carew.  She was, nevertheless, as I have said, literally old enough to be his mother; and the idea of the affair having been a love-match, in the usual sense of the expression, was simply preposterous.  That Miss Hardcastle was herself of this opinion seems evident from her having enjoined secrecy upon her youthful bridegroom.  They lived together as man and wife, under Mr. Hardcastle’s roof, for near six months before their marriage was proclaimed.  Then young Mrs. Carew took a bold step:  she persuaded her husband to bring her to his house, under the roof of which his mother was then residing.  But they did not come (as one might have imagined) in the fashion of two runaway lovers, who seek forgiveness for their youthful ardor with penitence and submission.  The bridegroom was full of wild mirth at having at last done something seriously to astonish the world.  He was fond of his mother, after his own fashion; but so far from entreating her forgiveness, he did not even perceive any particular necessity for conciliation.  The bride was full of triumph; she had not risked much, and she had won a great stake.  It would have been better for her could she have borne her success with more modesty.  Her mother-in-law was transported with rage, which she was too wise to exhibit.  She knew her son far better than his new wife did; and she felt that opposition was for the present hopeless; but she took counsel with her son’s guardian, and bided her time.  It came at last, though very slowly.  Carew was devoted to his spouse for a whole twelvemonth—­a longer time than youth and beauty combined have ever enthralled him since.  Even when her tender tones—­for she had the sweetest voice that ever woman possessed—­failed to thrill him, and her queenly form to charm, he would probably not have consented to take part against her, but for her own imprudence.  She lost her temper with him upon a matter where it is difficult for the wisest of her sex to keep it:  she grew jealous.”

“Without cause?” inquired Yorke, gloomily.  His cigar had gone out, though he still held it between his white lips.