There was to be one more sitting for the picture, as the reader will remember, and the day for that sitting had arrived.  Conway Dalrymple had in the meantime called at Mrs Van Siever’s house, hoping that he might be able to see Clara, and make his offer there.  But he had failed in his attempt to reach her.  He had found it impossible to say all that he had to say in the painting-room during the very short intervals which Mrs Broughton left to him.  A man should be allowed to be alone more than fifteen minutes with a young lady on the occasion in which he offers her his hand and his heart; but hitherto he had never had more than fifteen minutes at his command; and then there had been the turban!  He had also in the meantime called in Mrs Broughton with the intention of explaining to her that if she really intended to favour his views in respect to Miss Van Siever, she ought to give him a little more liberty for expressing himself.  Mrs Broughton found it necessary during this meeting to talk almost exclusively about herself and her own affairs.  ‘Conway,’ she had said, directly she saw him, ’I am so glad you have come.  I think I should have gone mad if I had not seen someone who cares for me.’  This was early in the morning, not much after eleven, and Mrs Broughton, hearing first his knock at the door, and then his voice, had met him in the hall and taken him into the dining-room.

‘Is anything the matter?’ he asked.

‘Oh, Conway!’

‘What is it?  Has anything gone wrong with Dobbs?’

‘Everything has gone wrong with him.  He is ruined.’

‘Heaven and earth!  What do you mean?’

’Simply what I say.  But you must not speak a word of it.  I do not know it from himself.’

‘How do you know it?’

’Wait a moment.  Sit down there, will you?—­and I will sit by you.  No, Conway; do not take my hand.  It is not right.  There;—­so.  Yesterday Mrs Van Siever was here.  I need not tell you all that she said to me, even if I could.  She was very harsh and cruel, saying all manner of things about Dobbs.  How can I help it, if he drinks?  I have not encouraged him.  And as for expensive living, I have been as ignorant as a child.  I have never asked for anything.  When we were married somebody told me how much we should have to spend.  It was either two thousand, or three thousand, or four thousand, or something like that.  You know, Conway, how ignorant I am about money;—­that I am like a child.  Is it not true?’ She waited for an answer and Dalrymple was obliged to acknowledge that it was true.  And yet he had known the times in which his dear friend had been very sharp in her memory with reference to a few pounds.  ’And now she says that Dobbs owes her money which he cannot pay her, and that everything must be sold.  She says that Musselboro must have the business, and Dobbs must shift for himself elsewhere.’

’Do you believe that she has the power to decide that things shall go this way or that—­as she pleases?’