’That is nonsense.  There must be a thousand things to tell.  At any rate it is quite decided?’

‘Yes; it is quite decided.’

‘All the dragons, old and young, are banished into outer darkness.’

‘Either that, or else they are to have all the light to themselves.’

’Such light as glimmers through the gloom of Aylmer Park.  And was he contented?  I hope not.  I hope you had him on his knees before he left you.’

‘Why should you hope that?  How can you talk such nonsense?’

’Because I wish that he should recognize what he has lost that he should know that he has been a fool a mean fool.’

’Mrs Askerton, I will not have him spoken of like that.  He is a man very estimable of estimable qualities.’

’Fiddle-de-dee.  He is an ape a monkey to be carried on his mother’s organ.  His only good quality was that you could have carried him on yours.  I can tell you one thing there is not a woman breathing that will ever carry William Belton on hers.  Whoever his wife may be, she will have to dance to his piping.’

‘With all my heart and I hope the tunes will be good.’

’But I wish I could have been present to have heard what passed hidden, you know, behind a curtain.  You won’t tell me?’

‘I will tell you not a word more.’

’Then I will get it out from Mrs Bunce.  I’ll be bound she was listening.’

’Mrs Bunce will have nothing to tell you; I do not know why you should be so curious.’

’Answer me one question at least when it came to the last, did he want to go on with it?  Was the final triumph with him or with you?’

’There was no final triumph.  Such things, when they have to end, do not end triumphantly.’

‘And is that to be all?’ ‘Yes that is to be all.’

‘And you say that you have no letter to write.’

’None no letter; none at present; none about this affair.  Captain Aylmer, no doubt, will write to his mother, and then all those who are concerned will have been told.’

Clara Amedroz held her purpose and wrote no letter, but Mrs Askerton was not so discreet, or so indiscreet as the case might be.  She did write not on that day or on the next, but before a week had passed by.  She wrote to Norfolk, telling Clara not a word of her letter, and by return of post the answer came.  But the answer was for Clara, not for Mrs Askerton, and was as follows: 

’Plaistow Hall, April, 186

My dear Clara,

I don’t know whether I ought to tell you but I suppose I may as well tell you, that Mary has had a letter from Mrs Askerton.  It was a kind, obliging letter, and I am very grateful to her.  She has told us that you have separated yourself altogether from the Aylmer Park people.  I don’t suppose you’ll think I ought to pretend to be very sorry.  I can’t be sorry, even though I know how much you have lost in a worldly point of view.  I could not bring myself to like Captain Aylmer, though I tried hard.’  Oh Mr Belton, Mr Belton!  ’He and I never could have been friends, and it is no use my pretending regret that you have quarrelled with them.  But that, I suppose, is all over, and I will not say a word more about the Aylmers.