virtuous
sympathies, I gathered, were with the Signora. Mr. O'Kelly's return
to Mrs. O'Kelly evidently manifested itself in the light of a shameful
desertion. Having regard to the fact, patent to all who knew him, that
the poor fellow was sacrificing every inclination to stern sense of
duty, such view of the matter was rough on him. But philosophers from
all ages have agreed that our good deeds are the whips with which Fate
punishes us for our bad.

"My dear," continued Mrs. Peedles, "when Mr. Peedles left me I thought
that I should never smile again. Yet here you see me laughing away
through life, just as ever. You'll get over it all right." And Mrs.
Peedles wiped away her tears and smiled upon the Signora; upon which the
Signora commenced to cry again.

Happily, timely diversion was made at this point by the bursting into
the room of Jarman, who upon perceiving Mrs. Peedles, at once gave vent
to a hoot, supposed to be expressive of Scottish joy, and without a
moment's hesitation commenced to dance a reel.

My neighbours of the first floor knocked at the door a little while
afterwards; and genteelly late arrived Miss Rosina Sellars, coldly
gleaming in a decollete but awe-inspiring costume of mingled black
and scarlet, out of which her fair, if fleshy, neck and arms shone
luxuriant.

We did not go into supper; instead, supper came into us from the
restaurant at the corner of the Blackfriars Road. I cannot say that at
first it was a festive meal. The O'Kelly and the Signora made effort,
as in duty bound, to be cheerful, but for awhile were somewhat
unsuccessful. The third floor front wasted no time in speech, but ate
and drank copiously. Miss Sellars, retaining her gloves--which was
perhaps wise, her hands being her weak point--signalled me out, much to
my embarrassment, as the recipient of her most polite conversation. Mrs.
Peedles became reminiscent of parties generally. Seeing that most of
Mrs. Peedles' former friends and acquaintances were either dead or in
more or less trouble, her efforts did not tend to enliven the table. One
gathering, of which the present strangely reminded her, was a funeral,
chiefly remarkable from discovery of the romantic fact, late in the
proceedings, that the gentleman in whose honour the whole affair had
been organised was not dead at all; but instead, having taken advantage
of an error arising out of a railway accident, was at the moment eloping
with the wife of his own chief mourn