’Heaven knows.  But our having heard a little more of her in this way (if she is the same woman) is a mere coincidence after all—­a family story to tell our friends if we ever have any.  But we shall never know any more of the episode now—­trust our fates for that.’

Cytherea sat silently thinking.

‘There was no answer this morning to your advertisement, Cytherea?’ he continued.

‘None.’

‘I could see that by your looks when I came in.’

‘Fancy not getting a single one,’ she said sadly.  ’Surely there must be people somewhere who want governesses?’

’Yes; but those who want them, and can afford to have them, get them mostly by friends’ recommendations; whilst those who want them, and can’t afford to have them, make use of their poor relations.’

‘What shall I do?’

’Never mind it.  Go on living with me.  Don’t let the difficulty trouble your mind so; you think about it all day.  I can keep you, Cythie, in a plain way of living.  Twenty-five shillings a week do not amount to much truly; but then many mechanics have no more, and we live quite as sparingly as journeymen mechanics. . .  It is a meagre narrow life we are drifting into,’ he added gloomily, ’but it is a degree more tolerable than the worrying sensation of all the world being ashamed of you, which we experienced at Hocbridge.’

‘I couldn’t go back there again,’ she said.

’Nor I. O, I don’t regret our course for a moment.  We did quite right in dropping out of the world.’  The sneering tones of the remark were almost too laboured to be real.  ‘Besides,’ he continued, ’something better for me is sure to turn up soon.  I wish my engagement here was a permanent one instead of for only two months.  It may, certainly, be for a longer time, but all is uncertain.’

‘I wish I could get something to do; and I must too,’ she said firmly.  ’Suppose, as is very probable, you are not wanted after the beginning of October—­the time Mr. Gradfield mentioned—­what should we do if I were dependent on you only throughout the winter?’

They pondered on numerous schemes by which a young lady might be supposed to earn a decent livelihood—­more or less convenient and feasible in imagination, but relinquished them all until advertising had been once more tried, this time taking lower ground.  Cytherea was vexed at her temerity in having represented to the world that so inexperienced a being as herself was a qualified governess; and had a fancy that this presumption of hers might be one reason why no ladies applied.  The new and humbler attempt appeared in the following form:—­