He met her eyes, and tried to understand her.  But whatever she meant, it could be of no importance to him.  Quarrier was doomed by the Tory agent; on this knowledge he congratulated himself, in spite of the fact that another state of things would have been more to his interest.

“I have really nothing to do with that,” he replied.  “My wife is living a life of wickedness—­and she shall be saved from it at once.”

Mrs. Wade had much difficulty in keeping her countenance.  She looked down, and drew a deep sigh.

“That is only too true.  But I fear—­indeed I fear—­that you won’t succeed in parting them.  There is a reason—­I cannot mention it.”

Northway was puzzled for a moment, then his face darkened; he seemed to understand.

“I do so wish,” pursued Mrs. Wade, with a smile of sympathy, “that I could be of some use in this sad affair.  My advice—­I am afraid you will be very unwilling to listen to it.”

She paused, looking at him wistfully.

“What would it be?” he asked.

“I feel so strongly—­just as you do—­that it is dreadful to have to countenance such a state of things; but I am convinced that it would be very, very unwise if you went at once to extremities, Mr. Northway.  I am a woman of the world; I have seen a good deal of life; if you allowed yourself to be guided by me, you would not regret it.”

“You want to save your friends from the results of their behaviour,” he replied, uneasily.

“I assure you, it’s not so much that—­no, I have your interests in view quite as much as theirs.  Now, seeing that Lilian cannot possibly take her place as your wife in fact, and that it is practically impossible to part her from Mr. Quarrier, wouldn’t it be well to ask yourself what is the most prudent course that circumstances allow?”

“If it comes to that, I can always get a divorce.”

Mrs. Wade reflected, but with no sign of satisfaction.

“Yes, that is open to you.  You would then, of course, be enabled to marry again.—­May I ask if you are quite at ease with regard to your prospects in life?”

The tone was so delicately impertinent that Northway missed its significance.

“I haven’t quite decided upon anything yet.”

“Judging from your conversation, I should say that you will yet find a place among active and successful men.  But the beginning is everything.  If I could be of any assistance to you—­I would put it to you frankly, Mr. Northway:  is it worth while sacrificing very solid possibilities to your—­your affection for a woman who has deserted you?”

He shuffled on the chair, clicked with his tongue, and looked about him undecidedly.

“I am Dot to be bribed to act against my conscience,” he said at length.

Mrs. Wade heard this with pleasure.  The blunt, half-blustering declaration assured her that Northway’s “conscience” was on the point of surrender.