infamy with triumphant insight would have solaced and
supported her, kept Rosamund dumb.

She could not bear to think of her part in the mischief.

She was not bound to think of it, knowing actually nothing of the
occurrence.

Still she felt that she was on her trial. She detected herself running
in and out of her nature to fortify it against accusations rather
than cleanse it for inspection. It was narrowing in her own sight. The
prospect of her having to submit to a further interrogatory, shut it up
entrenched in the declaration that Dr. Shrapnel had so far outraged her
sentiments as to be said to have offended her: not insulted, perhaps,
but certainly offended.

And this was a generous distinction. It was generous; and, having
recognized the generosity, she was unable to go beyond it.

She was presently making the distinction to Miss Halkett. The colonel
had left her at the door of the house: Miss Halkett sought admission
to her private room on an errand of condolence, for she had sympathized
with her very much in the semi-indignity Nevil had forced her to
undergo: and very little indeed had she been able to sympathize with
Nevil, who had been guilty of the serious fault of allowing himself to
appear moved by his own commonplace utterances; or, in other words, the
theme being hostile to his audience, he had betrayed emotion over it
without first evoking the spirit of pathos.

'As for me,' Rosamund replied, to some comforting remarks of Miss
Halkett's, 'I do not understand why I should be mixed up in Dr.
Shrapnel's misfortunes: I really am quite unable to recollect his words
to me or his behaviour: I have only a positive impression that I left
his house, where I had gone to see Captain Beauchamp, in utter disgust,
so repelled by his language that I could hardly trust myself to speak of
the man to Mr. Romfrey when he questioned me. I did not volunteer it.
I am ready to say that I believe Dr. Shrapnel did not intend to be
insulting. I cannot say that he was not offensive.

You know, Miss Halkett, I would willingly, gladly have saved him from
anything like punishment.'

'You are too gentle to have thought of it,' said Cecilia.

'But I shall never be forgiven by Captain Beauchamp. I see in his eyes
that he accuses me and despises me.'

'He will not be so unjust, Mrs. Culling.'

Rosamund begged that she might hear what Nevil had first said on his
arrival.

Cecilia related that they had seen him walking swift