utting the sincerity of Mother Oldershaw's
reformation to the test--so far as it affected her past connection with
myself. At the time when she had fitted me out for our enterprise, I
remembered signing a certain business document which gave her a handsome
pecuniary interest in my success, if I became Mrs. Armadale of Thorpe
Ambrose. The chance of turning this mischievous morsel of paper to
good account, in the capacity of a touchstone, was too tempting to be
resisted. I asked my devout friend's permission to say one last word
before I left the house.

"'As you have no further interest in my wicked speculation at Thorpe
Ambrose,' I said, 'perhaps you will give me back the written paper that
I signed, when you were not quite such an exemplary person as you are
now?'

"The shameless old hypocrite instantly shut her eyes and shuddered.

"'Does that mean Yes, or No'?' I asked.

"'On moral and religious grounds, Lydia,' said Mrs. Oldershaw, 'it means
No.'

"'On wicked and worldly grounds,' I rejoined, 'I beg to thank you for
showing me your hand.'

"There could, indeed, be no doubt now about the object she really had
in view. She would run no more risks and lend no more money; she would
leave me to win or lose single-handed. If I lost, she would not be
compromised. If I won, she would produce the paper I had signed, and
profit by it without remorse. In my present situation, it was mere waste
of time and words to prolong the matter by any useless recrimination on
my side. I put the warning away privately in my memory for future use,
and got up to go.

"At the moment when I left my chair there was a sharp double knock at
the street door. Mrs. Oldershaw evidently recognized it. She rose in a
violent hurry, and rang the bell. 'I am too unwell to see anybody,' she
said, when the servant appeared. 'Wait a moment, if you please,' she
added, turning sharply on me, when the woman had left us to answer the
door.

"It was small, very small, spitefulness on my part, I know; but the
satisfaction of thwarting Mother Jezebel, even in a trifle, was not to
be resisted. 'I can't wait,' I said; 'you reminded me just now that I
ought to be at church.' Before she could answer I was out of the room.

"As I put my foot on the first stair the street door was opened, and a
man's voice inquired whether Mrs. Oldershaw was at home.

"I instantly recognized the voice. Doctor Downward!

"The doctor repeated the servant's message in a tone w