Miss Crofton caressingly raised Julia’s veil.  Before the victim of remorse could bury her face in her hands, Merton had time to see that it was a very pretty one.  Julia was dark, pale, with ’eyes like billiard balls’ (as a celebrated amateur once remarked), with a beautiful mouth, but with a somewhat wildly enthusiastic expression.

‘How can I hope?’ Merton went on, ’to find a worthier and more attractive object?  Nay, how can I expect to secure the services not of one, but of four—­’

‘Three would do, Mr. Merton,’ explained Miss Crofton.  ’Is it not so, Julia dearest?’

Julia again nodded assent, and a sob came from behind the veil, which she had resumed.

‘Even three,’ said Merton, gallantly struggling with a strong inclination to laugh, ’present difficulties.  I do not speak the idle language of compliment, Miss Crofton, when I say that our staff would be overtaxed by the exigencies of this case.  The expense also, even of three—­’

‘Expense is no object,’ said Miss Crofton.

’But would it not, though I seem to speak against my own interests, be the wisest, most honourable, and infinitely the least costly course, for Miss Baddeley openly to inform her suitors, three out of the four at least, of the actual posture of affairs?  I have already suggested that, as the lady takes the matter so seriously to heart, she should consult her director, or, if of the Anglican or other Protestant denomination, her clergyman, who I am sure will agree with me.’

Miss Crofton shook her head.  ‘Julia is unattached,’ she said.

’I had gathered that to one of the four Miss Baddeley was—­not indifferent,’ said Merton.

‘I meant,’ said Miss Crofton severely, ’that Miss Baddeley is a Christian unattached.  My friend is sensitive, passionate, and deeply religious, but not a member of any recognised denomination.  The clergy—­’

‘They never leave one alone,’ said Julia in a musical voice.  It was the first time that she had spoken.  ‘Besides—­’ she added, and paused.

’Besides, dear Julia is—­entangled with a young clergyman whom, almost in despair, she consulted on her case—­at a picnic,’ said Miss Crofton, adding, ’he is prepared to seek a martyr’s fate, but he insists that she must accompany him.’

‘How unreasonable!’ murmured Merton, who felt that this recalcitrant clergyman was probably not the favourite out of the field of four.

‘That is what I say,’ remarked Miss Crofton.  ’It is unreasonable to expect Julia to accompany him when she has so much work to overtake in the home field.  But that is the way with all of them.’

‘All of them!’ exclaimed Merton.  ’Are all the devoted young men under vows to seek the crown of martyrdom?  Does your friend act as recruiting sergeant, if you will pardon the phrase, for the noble army of martyrs?’

‘Three of them have made the most solemn promises.’