‘My dear Rhoda, don’t enrage yourself.’

‘I will try not to.’

’But I can’t see the temptation to do so.  Come and sit down, and talk quietly.  No, I have no fondness for polygamy.  I find it very hard to understand how she could act as she did.  But a mistake, however wretched, mustn’t condemn a woman for life.  That’s the way of the world, and decidedly it mustn’t be ours.’

‘On this point I practically agree with the world.’

’I see you do, and it astonishes me.  You are going through curious changes, in several respects.  A year ago you didn’t speak of her like this.’

’Partly because I didn’t know you well enough to speak my mind.  Partly yes, I have changed a good deal, no doubt.  But I should never have proposed to take her by the hand and let bygones be bygones.  That is an amiable impulse, but anti-social.’

’A favourite word on your lips just now, Rhoda.  Why is it anti-social?’

’Because one of the supreme social needs of our day is the education of women in self-respect and self-restraint.  There are plenty of people—­men chiefly, but a few women also of a certain temperament—­who cry for a reckless individualism in these matters.  They would tell you that she behaved laudably, that she was living out herself—­and things of that kind.  But I didn’t think you shared such views.’

’I don’t, altogether.  “The education of women in self-respect.”  Very well.  Here is a poor woman whose self-respect has given way under grievous temptation.  Circumstances have taught her that she made a wild mistake.  The man gives her up, and bids her live as she can; she is induced to beggary.  Now, in that position a girl is tempted to sink still further.  The letter of two lines and an enclosed cheque would as likely as not plunge her into depths from which she could never be rescued.  It would assure her that there was no hope.  On the other hand, we have it in our power to attempt that very education of which you speak.  She has brains, and doesn’t belong to the vulgar.  It seems to me that you are moved by illogical impulses—­and certainly anything but kind ones.’

Rhoda only grew more stubborn.

’You say she yielded to a grievous temptation.  What temptation?  Will it bear putting into words?’

‘Oh yes, I think it will,’ answered Miss Barfoot, with her gentlest smile.  ’She fell in love with the man.

‘Fell in love!’ Concentration of scorn was in this echo.  ’Oh, for what isn’t that phrase responsible!’

’Rhoda, let me ask you a question on which I have never ventured.  Do you know what it is to be in love?’

Miss Nunn’s strong features were moved as if by a suppressed laugh; the colour of her cheeks grew very slightly warm.

‘I am a normal human being,’ she answered, with an impatient gesture.  ‘I understand perfectly well what the phrase signifies.’

’That is no answer, my dear.  Have you ever been in love with any man?’