you might see how a man can be affected--even his character
changed--by the recollection of such a blunder. It would destroy his
self-respect."

"Naturally. But self-respect is too good a thing to lose forever, and
this illustration of yours may serve to pass the time till you are ready
to talk of your own affairs, which you say it somehow illustrates. Did
your friend never think that the girl might have led him on, either
seriously or for mere amusement? If she did, that would be some excuse
for him."

"I tell you he was not that kind of a blackguard. All sorts of thoughts
will offer themselves to a man in such a state of mind, I suppose; but
he knew her too well to admit any that lowered her. O no, he saw the
fault was all his. At the moment he was bewildered, and could not
realize the sudden change, nor what he had done; so his apology (if I
remember that part of his story) may have been inadequate in manner,
however suitable in words. Apart from that, which could not be mended
afterwards, he did all he possibly could."

"I beg to differ, Jim. I think this fellow did much worse than you seem
to realize. Stare as much as you like: if he is still a friend of yours,
I am sorry for him, as for one who has committed a most outrageous
blunder and a nearly unpardonable wrong. What right had he to think of
himself alone? You say the girl had shown goodness of heart, and a real
interest in him? Then suppose the interest went no further than he
thought: what business had he to burden her mind with a broken
friendship and the feeling that she had helped to spoil his life? Or
suppose the interest in him did go further. What do you and he know
about a woman's feelings?"

He was pale now, and wild in the eyes. "Your last supposition is
impossible. For the other--you may possibly be right. He never thought
she would care--or that he could do anything but what he did."

"A nice lot he is then. If I were you, I would write to him to-morrow
and give him a lecture--supposing they are both alive and free. And if
this affair was anyway parallel to your own, of which you won't talk, I
hope it may be a lesson to you--a warning, if you need one. Do you
suppose women, of the high-minded and superior sort, have no hearts, no
consciences, no sense of the duties of humanity? They have a blanked
sight more than you and your friend seem to have, I can tell you. You'd
better sleep on this, and wake with some enlarged ideas. As you decline
t