Mrs. Ormonde kept silence.  The other continued, assuming a tone of cheerful impartiality: 

’Really it is very instructive, an affair of this kind.  One knows very well, theoretically, how average humanity fears and hates a nature superior to itself; but one has not often an opportunity of seeing it so well illustrated in practice.  Tyrrell’s attitude has especially amused me; his lungs begin to crow like chanticleer as often as the story comes up for discussion.  He has a good deal of personal liking for Egremont, but to see ‘the idealist’ in the mud he finds altogether too delicious.  His wife feels exactly in the same way, though she expresses her feeling differently.  And Dalmaine —­if I were an able-bodied man I rather think I should have kicked Dalmaine downstairs before this.  ’Lo you, what comes of lofty priggishness!’—­that is his text, and he enlarges on it in a manner worthy of himself.  And the amazing thing is that it never occurs to these people to explain what has happened on any but the least charitable hypothesis.’

‘What of Annabel?’ Mrs. Ormonde asked.

’She seems to have no interest in the matter.  So far so good, perhaps.’  He added, with a smile, ’She is revenging herself for her years of retirement.’

‘I supposed so.  And really seems to be enjoying herself?’

’Astonishingly.  I don’t see much of her.  She came in the other night to tell me that a Captain Somebody had proposed to her after six minutes of acquaintance, and laughed more gaily over it than I ever saw her.  It’s part of her education, of course; probably it was wise to postpone it no longer.  I wait with curiosity to hear her opinion of this world at the end of July.’

Mrs. Ormonde mused.  Mr. Newthorpe walked about a little, then asked: 

’What do you prophesy of their future?

‘Of whose future?’

‘Egremont’s and his wife.’

‘You are premature.  He is not married.’

‘Oh, then you are not altogether without news?’

’I shall take you into my confidence.  I find the responsibility a little too burdensome.  The fact is, this girl, Thyrza Trent, is at present in my care.’

She gave a succinct account of the recent events, and explained them as far as her information allowed.  The all-important point still remained obscure, but she showed her reasons for believing that something had passed between Egremont and Thyrza which could lead to but one result if they met again, now that the old objections were at an end.

‘My desire is,’ she pursued, ’to prevent that meeting.  I have racked my brains over the matter, with no better result than Mrs. Grundy would at once have arrived at by noble intuition.  It would he a grave mistake for Walter to marry this girl.’

’On general grounds, or from your special knowledge of her character?’

’Both.  A third reason is—­that I have long ago made up my mind whom he is to marry.’