’She must be crushed in spirit, Lady Rowley, before she can again become a pure and happy woman.’

‘This is more than I can bear,’ said Lady Rowley, now, at last, worked up to a fever of indignation.  ’My daughter, sir, is as pure a woman as you have ever known, or are likely to know.  You, who should have protected her against the world, will some day take blame to yourself as you remember that you have so cruelly maligned her.’  Then she walked away to the door, and would not listen to the words which he was hurling after her.  She went down the stairs, and out of the house, and at the end of Poulter’s Alley found the cab which was waiting for her.

Trevelyan, as soon as he was alone, rang the bell, and sent for Bozzle.  And while the waiter was coming to him, and until his myrmidon had appeared, he continued to stalk up and down the room, waving his hand in the air as though he were continuing his speech.  ‘Bozzle,’ said he, as soon as the man had closed the door, ‘I have changed my mind.’

‘As how, Mr Trewillian?’

’I shall make no further attempt.  I have done all that man can do, and have done it in vain.  Her father and mother uphold her in her conduct, and she is lost to me for ever.’

‘But the boy, Mr T.?’

’I have my child.  Yes I have my child.  Poor infant.  Bozzle, I look to you to see that none of them learn our retreat.’

’As for that, Mr Trewillian, why, facts is to be come at by one party pretty well as much as by another.  Now, suppose the things was changed, wicey warsey, and as I was hacting for the Colonel’s party.’

‘D the Colonel!’ exclaimed Trevelyan.

’Just so, Mr Trewillian; but if I was hacting for the other party, and they said to me, “Bozzle where’s the boy?” why, in three days I’d be down on the facts.  Facts is open, Mr Trewillian, if you knows where to look for them.’

‘I shall take him abroad at once.’

’Think twice of it, Mr T. The boy is so young, you see, and a mother’s ’art is softer and lovinger than anything.  I’d think twice of it, Mr T., before I kept ’em apart.’  This was a line of thought which Mr Bozzle’s conscience had not forced him to entertain to the prejudice of his professional arrangements; but now, as he conversed with his employer, and became by degrees aware of the failure of Trevelyan’s mind, some shade of remorse came upon him, and made him say a word on behalf of the ‘other party.’

’Am I not always thinking of it?  What else have they left me to think of?  That will do for to-day.  You had better come down to me to-morrow afternoon.’  Bozzle promised obedience to these instructions, and as soon as his patron had started he paid the bill, and took himself home.