“And what on earth can that be?” interposed Arabella.

“You may well ask.  Could a genie have guessed that Mrs. Chump was at the bottom of it all?  The conclusion of the dreadful discussion is this, that papa offers to take the purchase of Besworth into his consideration, if we, as I said before, will receive Mrs. Chump as our honoured guest.  I am bound to say, poor dear old man, he spoke kindly, as he always does, and kissed me, and offered to give me anything I might want.  I came from him stupefied.  I have hardly got my senses about me yet.”

The ladies caressed her, with grave looks; but neither of them showed a perturbation of spirit like that which distressed Adela.

“Wilfrid’s meaning is now explained,” said Cornelia.  “He is in league with papa; or has given in his adhesion to papa’s demands, at least.  He is another example of the constant tendency in men to be what they call ‘practical’ at the expense of honour and sincerity.”

“I hope not,” said Arabella.  “In any case, that need not depress you so seriously, darling.”

She addressed Adela.

“Do you not see?” Adela cried, in response.  “What! are you both blind to the real significance of papa’s words?  I could not have believed it!  Or am I this time too acute?  I pray to heaven it may be so!”

Both ladies desired her to be explicit; Arabella, eagerly; Cornelia with distrust.

“The question of a widow marrying!  What is this woman, whom papa wishes to force on us as our guest?  Why should he do that?  Why should he evince anxiety with regard to our opinion of the decency of widows contemplating re-union?  Remember previous words and hints when we lived in the city!”

“This at least you may spare us,” said Cornelia, ruffling offended.

Adela smiled in tenderness for her beauty.

“But, it is important, if we are following a track, dear.  Think over it.”

“No!” cried Arabella.  “It cannot be true.  We might easily have guessed this, if we ever dreamed of impossibilities.”

“In such cases, when appearances lean in one direction, set principles in the opposite balance,” added Cornelia.  “What Adela apprehends may seem to impend, but we know that papa is incapable of doing it.  To know that, shuts the gates of suspicion.  She has allowed herself to be troubled by a ghastly nightmare.”

Adela believed in her own judgement too completely not to be sure that her sisters were, perhaps unknowingly, disguising a slowness of perception they were ashamed of, by thus partially accusing her of giddiness.  She bit her lip.

“Very well; if you have no fears whatever, you need not abandon the idea of Besworth.”

“I abandon nothing,” said Arabella.  “If I have to make a choice, I take that which is least objectionable.  I am chagrined, most, at the idea that Wilfrid has been treacherous.”

“Practical,” Cornelia suggested.  “You are not speaking of one of our sex.”