‘Mrs. Rawlings,’ I corrected.

‘Lor’, I’ll never get used to the name.  Mrs. Roarings, then, ’as only got me to thank for the present ‘appy state o’ things.’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked, only half interested.

‘Well, it’s like this yeer,’ answered Elizabeth, ’I see from the very first that Mr. Roarings an’ Miss Marryun were just suited to each other.  The trouble was they didn’t see it theirselves, an’ so I ’elped to open their eyes like.’

‘Explain,’ I commanded.

Elizabeth did so.  She unfolded a tale that, as she proceeded step by step, left me speechless with horror.  That she should have so basely conspired to throw William and Marion at each other and, by misrepresentations, lies and every kind of deception, brought about the match, utterly appalled me.  Everything suddenly became clear.  William had married through a misplaced sense of chivalry—­offered himself up as a sacrifice as it were.  I understood then why Marion had written so much about luggage and nothing about connubial bliss—­the union was bound to turn out a ghastly failure under such circumstances.  Worst of all, I, quite unconsciously, had aided and abetted the whole disgraceful scheme.

‘Elizabeth!’ I exclaimed at last in dismay, ’you shameless, intriguing creature, I will never forgive you for this.  You have ruined two lives, and I am involved in it as well.  The only thing to do is to explain the whole situation to Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings when they come to-day.’

She changed colour.  ’You’d never do that, ‘m.’

’I shall tell them everything.  It will, at any rate, help them to begin life on a different understanding.’

’But what good will that do, ‘m?  It’ll upset everything an’ lead to goodness knows wot.’

‘It may lead to a judicial separation, of course,’ I replied, ’but my duty in this case is perfectly clear.  There is only one thing to be done.’

I have never seen the girl so genuinely distressed.  ’I wouldn’t do it, if I wos you, I wouldn’t indeed.  If you must tell ’em, wait a year or two, till they’ve settled down——­’

A loud knock on the door interrupted her.  ‘There they are now,’ I remarked.  ’And no matter what you say I shall explain everything before they leave to-day.  They shall know how they’ve been hoodwinked.’

‘Orl right, then,’ said Elizabeth, ‘an’ let the consingquences be on your own head.  You’ll see ‘ow they’ll take it.’  And darting defiant looks, she went to open the door.

The next moment Marion was enfolded in my arms.  Then I turned to greet William.  As I did so the words of welcome died on my lips and I stood staring at him in puzzled wonder.

‘Why, what has happened to you?’ I asked.

He grinned.  ‘Don’t you like me as I am at present?’

I did not, but thought it polite to refrain from saying so.  He had gone back to his former state of fuzziness, and looked more like Rip van Winkle than ever.  Indeed, his beard seemed even more fierce and bristly than in the old days—­probably shaving had tended to strengthen the roots.