rs. Gallilee shone on him with her sweetest smiles; pressed his hand
with her friendliest warmth; admired the nosegay with her readiest
enthusiasm. "Quite perfect," she said--"especially the Pansy. The round
flat edge, Mr. Mool; the upper petals perfectly uniform--there is a
flower that defies criticism! I long to dissect it."

Mr. Mool politely resigned the Pansy to dissection (murderous
mutilation, he would have called it, in the case of one of his own
flowers), and waited to hear what his learned client might have to say
to him.

"I am going to surprise you," Mrs. Gallilee announced. "No--to shock
you. No--even that is not strong enough. Let me say, to horrify you."

Mr. Mool's anxieties returned, complicated by confusion. The behaviour
of Mrs. Gallilee exhibited the most unaccountable contrast to her
language. She showed no sign of those strong emotions to which she
had alluded. "How am I to put it?" she went on, with a transparent
affectation of embarrassment. "Shall I call it a disgrace to our
family?" Mr. Mool started. Mrs. Gallilee entreated him to compose
himself; she approached the inevitable disclosure by degrees. "I think,"
she said, "you have met Doctor Benjulia at my house?"

"I have had that honour, Mrs. Gallilee. Not a very sociable person--if I
may venture to say so."

"Downright rude, Mr. Mool, on some occasions. But that doesn't matter
now. I have just been visiting the doctor."

Was this visit connected with the "disgrace to the family?" Mr. Mool
ventured to put a question.

"Doctor Benjulia is not related to you, ma'am--is he?"

"Not the least in the world. Please don't interrupt me again. I am, so
to speak, laying a train of circumstances before you; and I might leave
one of them out. When Doctor Benjulia was a young man--I am returning
to my train of circumstances, Mr. Mool--he was at Rome, pursuing his
professional studies. I have all this, mind, straight from the doctor
himself. At Rome, he became acquainted with my late brother, after
the period of his unfortunate marriage. Stop! I have failed to put it
strongly enough again. I ought to have said, his disgraceful marriage."

"Really, Mrs. Gallilee--"

"Mr. Mool!"

"I beg your pardon, ma'am."

"Don't mention it. The next circumstance is ready in my mind. One of the
doctor's fellow-students (described as being personally an irresistible
man) was possessed of abilities which even attracted our unsociable
Benjulia. They became friend