“You’ll be true to me?” said Amelia, during the moment of that embrace—­“true to me for ever?”

“Oh, yes; that’s a matter of course,” said Johnny Eames.  And then she liberated him; and the two strolled into the front sitting-room.

“I declare, Mr Eames,” said Mrs Lupex, “I’m glad you’ve come.  Here’s Mr Cradell does say such queer things.”

“Queer things!” said Cradell.  “Now, Miss Spruce, I appeal to you—­Have I said any queer things?”

“If you did, sir, I didn’t notice them,” said Miss Spruce.

“I noticed them, then,” said Mrs Lupex.  “An unmarried man like Mr Cradell has no business to know whether a married lady wears a cap or her own hair—­has he, Mr Eames?”

“I don’t think I ever know,” said Johnny, not intending any sarcasm on Mrs Lupex.

“I dare say not, sir,” said the lady.  “We all know where your attention is riveted.  If you were to wear a cap, my dear, somebody would see the difference very soon—­wouldn’t they, Miss Spruce?”

“I dare say they would,” said Miss Spruce.

“If I could look as nice in a cap as you do, Mrs Lupex, I’d wear one to-morrow,” said Amelia, who did not wish to quarrel with the married lady at the present moment.  There were occasions, however, on which Mrs Lupex and Miss Roper were by no means so gracious to each other.

“Does Lupex like caps?” asked Cradell.

“If I wore a plumed helmet on my head, it’s my belief he wouldn’t know the difference; nor yet if I had got no head at all.  That’s what comes of getting married.  It you’ll take my advice, Miss Roper, you’ll stay as you are; even though somebody should break his heart about it.  Wouldn’t you, Miss Spruce?”

“Oh, as for me, I’m an old woman, you know,” said Miss Spruce, which was certainly true.

“I don’t see what any woman gets by marrying,” continued Mrs Lupex.  “But a man gains everything.  He don’t know how to live, unless he’s got a woman to help him.”

“But is love to go for nothing?” said Cradell.

“Oh, love!  I don’t believe in love.  I suppose I thought I loved once, but what did it come to after all?  Now, there’s Mr Eames—­we all know he’s in love.”

“It comes natural to me, Mrs Lupex.  I was born so,” said Johnny.

“And there’s Miss Roper—­one never ought to speak free about a lady, but perhaps she’s in love too.”

“Speak for yourself, Mrs Lupex,” said Amelia.

“There’s no harm in saying that, is there?  I’m sure, if you ain’t, you’re very hard-hearted; for, if ever there was a true lover, I believe you’ve got one of your own.  My!—­if there’s not Lupex’s step on the stair!  What can bring him home at this hour?  If he’s been drinking, he’ll come home as cross as anything.”  Then Mr Lupex entered the room, and the pleasantness of the party was destroyed.

It may be said that neither Mrs Cradell nor Mrs Eames would have placed their sons in Burton Crescent if they had known the dangers into which the young men would fall.  Each, it must be acknowledged, was imprudent; but each clearly saw the imprudence of the other.  Not a week before this, Cradell had seriously warned his friend against the arts of Miss Roper.  “By George, Johnny, you’ll get yourself entangled with that girl.”