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She　was　left　confronted　with　her　habitual　critics。　　〃'If　it's　wrong

it's　all　right！'〃　she　extravagantly　quoted　to　them。



The　counter…clerk　was　really　awe…stricken。　　〃But　how　did　you　know；

dear？〃



〃I　remembered；　love！〃



Mr。　Buckton；　on　the　contrary；　was　rude。　　〃And　what　game　is　that；

miss？〃



No　happiness　she　had　ever　known　came　within　miles　of　it；　and　some

minutes　elapsed　before　she　could　recall　herself　sufficiently　to

reply　that　it　was　none　of　his　business。







CHAPTER　XXIV







If　life　at　Cocker's；　with　the　dreadful　drop　of　August；　had　lost

something　of　its　savour；　she　had　not　been　slow　to　infer　that　a

heavier　blight　had　fallen　on　the　graceful　industry　of　Mrs。　Jordan。



With　Lord　Rye　and　Lady　Ventnor　and　Mrs。　Bubb　all　out　of　town；　with

the　blinds　down　on　all　the　homes　of　luxury；　this　ingenious　woman

might　well　have　found　her　wonderful　taste　left　quite　on　her　hands。

She　bore　up；　however；　in　a　way　that　began　by　exciting　much　of　her

young　friend's　esteem；　they　perhaps　even　more　frequently　met　as　the

wine　of　life　flowed　less　free　from　other　sources；　and　each；　in　the

lack　of　better　diversion；　carried　on　with　more　mystification　for

the　other　an　intercourse　that　consisted　not　a　little　in　peeping　out

and　drawing　back。　　Each　waited　for　the　other　to　commit　herself；

each　profusely　curtained　for　the　other　the　limits　of　low　horizons。

Mrs。　Jordan　was　indeed　probably　the　more　reckless　skirmisher；

nothing　could　exceed　her　frequent　incoherence　unless　it　was　indeed

her　occasional　bursts　of　confidence。　　Her　account　of　her　private

affairs　rose　and　fell　like　a　flame　in　the　windsometimes　the

bravest　bonfire　and　sometimes　a　handful　of　ashes。　　This　our　young

woman　took　to　be　an　effect　of　the　position；　at　one　moment　and

another；　of　the　famous　door　of　the　great　world。　　She　had　been

struck　in　one　of　her　ha'penny　volumes　with　the　translation　of　a

French　proverb　according　to　which　such　a　door；　any　door；　had　to　be

either　open　or　shut；　and　it　seemed　part　of　the　precariousness　of

Mrs。　Jordan's　life　that　hers　mostly　managed　to　be　neither。　　There

had　been　occasions　when　it　appeared　to　gape　widefairly　to　woo　her

across　its　threshold；　there　had　been　others；　of　an　order　distinctly

disconcerting；　when　it　was　all　but　banged　in　her　face。　　On　the

whole；　however；　she　had　evidently　not　lost　heart；　these　still

belonged　to　the　class　of　things　in　spite　of　which　she　looked　well。

She　intimated　that　the　profits　of　her　trade　had　swollen　so　as　to

float　her　through　any　state　of　the　tide；　and　she　had；　besides　this；

a　hundred　profundities　and　explanations。



She　rose　superior；　above　all；　on　the　happy　fact　that　there　were

always　gentlemen　in　town　and　that　gentlemen　were　her　greatest

admirers；　gentlemen　from　the　City　in　especialas　to　whom　she　was

full　of　information　about　the　passion　and　pride　excited　in　such

breasts　by　the　elements　of　her　charming　commerce。　　The　City　men　did

in　short　go　in　for　flowers。　　There　was　a　certain　type　of　awfully

smart　stockbrokerLord　Rye　called　them　Jews　and　bounders；　but　she

didn't　carewhose　extravagance；　she　more　than　once　threw　out；　had

really；　if　one　had　any　conscience；　to　be　forcibly　restrained。　　It

was　not　perhaps　a　pure　love　of　beauty：　　it　was　a　matter　of　vanity

and　a　sign　of　business；　they　wished　to　crush　their　rivals；　and　that

was　one　of　their　weapons。　　Mrs。　Jordan's　shrewdness　was　extreme；

she　knew　in　any　case　her　customershe　dealt；　as　she　said；　with　all

sorts；　and　it　was　at　the　worst　a　race　for　hera　race　even　in　the

dull　monthsfrom　one　set　of　chambers　to　another。　　And　then；　after

all；　there　were　also　still　the　ladies；　the　ladies　of　stockbroking

circles　were　perpetually　up　and　down。　　They　were　not　quite　perhaps

Mrs。　Bubb　or　Lady　Ventnor；　but　you　couldn't　tell　the　difference

unless　you　quarrelled　with　them；　and　then　you　knew　it　only　by　their

making…up　sooner。　　These　ladies　formed　the　branch　of　her　subject　on

which　she　most　swayed　in　the　breeze；　to　that　degree　that　her

confidant　had　ended　with　an　inference　or　two　tending　to　banish

regret　for　opportunities　not　embraced。　　There　were　indeed　tea…gowns

that　Mrs。　Jordan　describedbut　tea…gowns　were　not　the　whole　of

respectability；　and　it　was　odd　that　a　clergyman's　widow　should

sometimes　speak　as　if　she　almost　thought　so。　　She　came　back；　it　was

true；　unfailingly　to　Lord　Rye；　never；　evidently；　quite　losing　sight

of　him　even　on　the　longest　excursions。　　That　he　was　kindness　itself

had　become　in　fact　the　very　moral　it　all　pointedpointed　in

strange　flashes　of　the　poor　woman's　nearsighted　eyes。　　She　launched

at　her　young　friend　portentous　looks；　solemn　heralds　of　some

extraordinary　communication。　　The　communication　itself；　from　week

to　week；　hung　fire；　but　it　was　to　the　facts　over　which　it　hovered

that　she　owed　her　power　of　going　on。　　〃They　are；　in　one　way　and

another；〃　she　often　emphasised；　〃a　tower　of　strength〃；　and　as　the

allusion　was　to　the　aristocracy　the　girl　could　quite　wonder　why；　if

they　were　so　in　〃one　way；〃　they　should　require　to　be　so　in　two。

She　thoroughly　knew；　however；　how　many　ways　Mrs。　Jordan　counted　in。

It　all　meant　simply　that　her　fate　was　pressing　her　close。　　If　that

fate　was　to　be　sealed　at　the　matrimonial　altar　it　was　perhaps　not

remarkable　that　she　shouldn't　come　all　at　once　to　the　scratch　of

overwhelming　a　mere　telegraphist。　　It　would　necessarily　present　to

such　a　person　a　prospect　of　regretful　sacrifice。　　Lord　Ryeif　it

WAS　Lord　Ryewouldn't　be　〃kind〃　to　a　nonentity　of　that　sort；　even

though　people　quite　as　good　had　been。



One　Sunday　afternoon　in　November　they　went；　by　arrangement；　to

church　together；　after　whichon　the　inspiration　of　the　moment　the

arrangement　had　not　included　itthey　proceeded　to　Mrs。　Jordan's

lodging　in　the　region　of　Maida　Vale。　　She　had　raved　to　her　friend

about　her　service　of　predilection；　she　was　excessively　〃high；〃　and

had　more　than　once　wished　to　introduce　the　girl　to　the　same　comfort

and　privilege。　　There　was　a　thick　brown　fog　and　Maida　Vale　tasted

of　acrid　smoke；　but　they　had　been　sitting　among　chants　and　incense

and　wonderful　music；　during　which；　though　the　effect　of　such　things

on　her　mind　was　great；　our　young　lady　had　indulged　in　a　series　of

reflexions　but　indirectly　related　to　them。　　One　of　these　was　the

result　of　Mrs。　Jordan's　having　said　to　her　on　the　way；　and　with　a

certain　fine　significance；　that　Lord　Rye　had　been　for　some　time　in

town。　　She　had　spoken　as　if　it　were　a　circumstance　to　which　little

required　to　be　addedas　if　the　bearing　of　such　an　item　on　her　life

might　easily　be　grasped。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　wonder　of　whether　Lord

Rye　wished　to　marry　her　that　made　her　guest；　with　thoughts　straying

to　that　quarter；　quite　determine　that　some　other　nuptials　also

should　take　place　at　Saint　Julian's。　　Mr。　Mudge　was　still　an

attendant　at　his　Wesleyan　chapel；　but　this　was　the　least　of　her

worriesit　had　never　even　vexed　her　enough　for　her　to　so　much　as

name　it　to　Mrs。　Jordan。　　Mr。　Mudge's　form　of　worship　was　one　of

several　thingsthey　made　up　in　superiority　and　beauty　for　what

they　wanted　in　numberthat　she　had　long　ago　settled　he　should　take

from　her；　and　she　had　now　moreover　for　the　first　time　definitely

established　her　own。　　Its　principal　feature　was　that　it　was　to　be

the　same　as　that　of　Mrs。　Jordan　and　Lord　Rye；　which　was　indeed　very

much　what　she　said　to　her　hostess　as　they　sat　together　later　on。

The　brown　fog　was　in　this　hostess's　little　parlour；　where　it　acted

as　a　postponement　of　the　question　of　there　being；　besides；　anything

else　than　the　teacups　and　a　pewter　pot　and　a　very　black　little　fire

and　a　paraffin　lamp　without　a　shade。　　There　was　at　any　rate　no　sign

of　a　flower；　it　was　not　for　herself　Mrs。　Jordan　gathered　sweets。

The　girl　waited　till　they　had　had　a　cup　of　teawaited　for　the

announcement　that　she　fairly　believed　her　friend　had；　this　time；

possessed　herself　of　her　formally　at　last　to　make；　but　nothing

came；　after　the　interval；　save　a　little　poke　at　the　fire；　which　was

like　the　clearing　of　a　throat　for　a　speech。







CHAPTER　XXV







〃I　think　you　must　have　heard　me　speak　of　Mr。　Drake？〃　　Mrs。　Jordan

had　never　looked　so　queer；　nor　her　smile　so　suggestive　of　a　large

benevolent　bite。



〃Mr。　Drake？　　Oh　yes；　isn't　he　a　friend　of　Lord　Rye？〃



〃A　great　and　trusted　friend。　　AlmostI　may　saya　loved　friend。〃



Mrs。　Jordan's　〃almost〃　had　such　an　oddity　that　her　companion　was

moved；　rather　flippantly　perhaps；　to　take　it　up。　　〃Don't　people　as

good　as　love　their　friends　when　they　I　trust　them？〃



It　pulled　up　a　little　the　eulogist　of　Mr。　Drake。　　〃Well；　my　dear；　I

love　YOU〃



〃But　you　don't　trust　me？〃　the　girl　unmercifully　asked。



Again　Mrs。　Jordan　pausedstill　she　looked　queer。　　〃Yes；〃　she

replied　with　a　certain　austerity；　〃that's　exactly　what　I'm　about　to

give　you　rather　a　remarkable　proof　of。〃　　The　sense　of　its　being

remarkable　was　already　so　strong　that；　while　she　bridled　a　little；

this　held　her