Crewe, that these young relatives of mine,--almost the
only relatives I have,--should refuse me their confidence and their
affection. Pray, does Horace know of what his sister is doing?'

'I thought I wouldn't speak to him about it until I had seen you.'

'How very kind! How grateful I am to you for your constant
thoughtfulness!'

Why Crewe should have practised such reticence, why it signified
kindness and thoughtfulness to Mrs. Damerel, neither he nor she could
easily have explained. But their eyes met, with diffident admiration on
the one side, and touching amiability on the other. Then they discussed
Nancy's inexplicable behaviour from every point of view; or rather, Mrs.
Damerel discussed it, and her companion made a pretence of doing so.
Crewe's manner had become patently artificial; he either expressed
himself in trivial phrases, which merely avoided silence, or betrayed an
embarrassment, an abstraction, which caused the lady to observe him with
all the acuteness at her command.

You haven't seen her lately?' she asked, when Crewe had been staring at
the window for a minute or two.

'Seen her?--No; not for a long time.'

'I think you told me you haven't called there since Mr. Lord's death?'

'I never was there at all,' he answered abruptly.

'Oh, I remember your saying so. Of course there is no reason why she
shouldn't go into business, if time is heavy on her hands, as I dare
say it may be. So many ladies prefer to have an occupation of that
kind now-a-days. It's a sign of progress; we are getting more
sensible; Society used to have such silly prejudices. Even within my
recollection--how quickly things change!--no lady would have dreamt
of permitting her daughter to take an engagement in a shop or any such
place. Now we have women of title starting as milliners and modistes,
and soon it will be quite a common thing to see one's friends behind the
counter.'

She gave a gay little laugh, in which Crewe joined unmelodiously,--for
he durst not be merry in the note natural to him,--then raised her eyes
in playful appeal.

'If ever I should fall into misfortune, Mr. Crewe, would you put me in
the way of earning my living.'

'You couldn't. You're above all that kind of thing. It's for the rough
and ready sort of women, and I can't say I have much opinion of them.'

'That's a very nice little compliment; but at the same time, it's rather
severe on the women who are practical.--Tell me frankly: Is my--my n