’Not deserved it, Emily!—­the commonest, low, vile, adventuring tradesman!’

‘In the second place,’ pursued her ladyship, ’it’s not adviseable to do anything that will make Rose enter into the young woman’s sublimities.  It ’s better not to let a lunatic see that you think him stark mad, and the same holds with young women afflicted with the love-mania.  The sound of sense, even if they can’t understand it, flatters them so as to keep them within bounds.  Otherwise you drive them into excesses best avoided.’

‘Really, Emily,’ said Mrs. Shorne, ’you speak almost, one would say, as an advocate of such unions.’

‘You must know perfectly well that I entirely condemn them,’ replied her ladyship, who had once, and once only, delivered her opinion of the nuptials of Mr. and Mrs. Shorne.

In self-defence, and to show the total difference between the cases, Mrs. Shorne interjected:  ‘An utterly penniless young adventurer!’

‘Oh, no; there’s money,’ remarked Sir Franks.

‘Money is there?’ quoth Hamilton, respectfully.

‘And there’s wit,’ added Sir John, ‘if he has half his sister’s talent.’

‘Astonishing woman!’ Hamilton chimed in; adding, with a shrug, ’But, egad!’

‘Well, we don’t want him to resemble his sister,’ said Lady Jocelyn.  ’I acknowledge she’s amusing.’

‘Amusing, Emily!’ Mrs. Shorne never encountered her sister-in-law’s calmness without indignation.  ’I could not rest in the house with such a person, knowing her what she is.  A vile adventuress, as I firmly believe.  What does she do all day with your mother?  Depend upon it, you will repent her visit in more ways than one.’

‘A prophecy?’ asked Lady Jocelyn, smiling.

On the grounds of common sense, on the grounds of propriety, and consideration of what was due to themselves, all agreed to condemn the notion of Rose casting herself away on Evan.  Lady Jocelyn agreed with Mrs. Shorne; Sir Franks with his brother, and Sir John.  But as to what they were to do, they were divided.  Lady Jocelyn said she should not prevent Rose from writing to Evan, if she had the wish to do so.

‘Folly must come out,’ said her ladyship.  ’It’s a combustible material.  I won’t have her health injured.  She shall go into the world more.  She will be presented at Court, and if it’s necessary to give her a dose or two to counteract her vanity, I don’t object.  This will wear off, or, ’si c’est veritablement une grande passion, eh bien’ we must take what Providence sends us.’

’And which we might have prevented if we had condescended to listen to the plainest worldly wisdom,’ added Mrs. Shorne.

‘Yes,’ said Lady Jocelyn, equably, ’you know, you and I, Julia, argue from two distinct points.  Girls may be shut up, as you propose.  I don’t think nature intended to have them the obverse of men.  I ’m sure their mothers never designed that they should run away with footmen, riding-masters, chance curates, as they occasionally do, and wouldn’t if they had points of comparison.  My opinion is that Prospero was just saved by the Prince of Naples being wrecked on his island, from a shocking mis-alliance between his daughter and the son of Sycorax.  I see it clearly.  Poetry conceals the extreme probability, but from what I know of my sex, I should have no hesitation in turning prophet also, as to that.’