’That notion of Austin’s of screwing women’s minds up to the pitch of men’s!’ interjected the colonel with a despairing flap of his arm.

’He said, papa, that honestly active men in a country, who decline to practise hypocrisy, show that the blood runs, and are a sign of health.’

‘You misunderstood him, my dear.’

’I think I thoroughly understood him.  He did not call them wise.  He said they might be dangerous if they were not met in debate.  But he said, and I presume to think truly, that the reason why they are decried is, that it is too great a trouble for a lazy world to meet them.  And, he said, the reason why the honest factions agitate is because they encounter sneers until they appear in force.  If they were met earlier, and fairly—­I am only quoting him—­they would not, I think he said, or would hardly, or would not generally, fall into professional agitation.’

‘Austin’s a speculative Tory, I know; and that’s his weakness,’ observed the colonel.  ’But I’m certain you misunderstood him.  He never would have called us a lazy people.’

‘Not in matters of business:  in matters of thought.’

’My dear Cecilia!  You’ve got hold of a language!.... a way of speaking! ....  Who set you thinking on these things?’

’That I owe to Nevil Beauchamp!

Colonel Halkett indulged in a turn or two up and down the room.  He threw open a window, sniffed the moist air, and went to his daughter to speak to her resolutely.

’Between a Radical and a Tory, I don’t know where your head has been whirled to, my dear.  Your heart seems to be gone:  more sorrow for us!  And for Nevil Beauchamp to be pretending to love you while carrying on with this Frenchwoman!’

‘He has never said that he loved me.’

The splendour of her beauty in humility flashed on her father, and he cried out:  ’You are too good for any man on earth!  We won’t talk in the dark, my darling.  You tell me he has never, as they say, made love to you?’

‘Never, papa.’

’Well, that proves the French story.  At any rate, he ’s a man of honour.  But you love him?’

‘The French story is untrue, papa.’

Cecilia stood in a blush like the burning cloud of the sunset.’

’Tell me frankly:  I’m your father, your old dada, your friend, my dear girl! do you think the man cares for you, loves you?’

She replied:  ‘I know, papa, the French story is untrue.’

’But when I tell you, silly woman, he confessed it to me out of his own mouth!’

‘It is not true now.’

‘It’s not going on, you mean?  How do you know?’

‘I know.’

‘Has he been swearing it?’

‘He has not spoken of it to me.’

‘Here I am in a woman’s web!’ cried the colonel.  ’Is it your instinct tells you it’s not true? or what? what?  You have not denied that you love the man.’