simply said that the idea occurred to me that he
might be a spy, which is a very different thing to my accusing him of
being one. I am ready to admit that the chances are infinitely greater
that he is an honest trader or a relation of the merchant, and that his
presence here is perfectly legitimate and natural, than that he should
be a spy. Still, there is a chance, if it be but one out of a thousand,
that he may be the latter. I don't think that I am at all of a
suspicious nature, but I really should like to learn a little about
this man. I do not mean that I am going to try to do so. It would be an
unworthy action to pry into another's business, when it is no concern of
one's own. Still, I should like to know why he is here."

Ralph shrugged his shoulders.

"This comes of living the life of a hermit, Gervaise. Other people meet
and talk, and enjoy what society there is in the city, without troubling
their heads for a moment as to where people come from or what their
business is here, still less whether they are spies. Such ideas do not
so much as occur to them, and I must say that I think the sooner you
fall into the ways of other people the better."

"There is no harm done," Gervaise said composedly. "I am not thinking
of asking our bailiff to order him to be arrested on suspicion. I only
remarked that I did not like the man's face, nor the way in which, while
he pretended to be thinking of nothing, he was trying to overhear what
we were saying. I am quite willing to admit that I have made a mistake,
not in devoting myself to Turkish, but in going to the merchant's with
you this evening. I have had no experience whatever of what you call
society, and, so far from it giving me pleasure to talk to strangers,
especially to women, it seems to me that such talk is annoying to me,
at any rate at present. When I get to your age, possibly my ideas may
change. I don't for a moment wish to judge you or others; you apparently
enjoy it, and it is a distraction from our serious work. I say simply
that it is an amusement which I do not understand. You must remember
that I entered the Order in consequence of a solemn vow of my dead
father, that I regard the profession we make as a very serious one, and
that my present intention is to devote my life entirely to the Order and
to an active fulfilment of its vows."

"That is all right, Gervaise," Ralph said good temperedly. "Only I think
it would be a pity if you were to turn out a