se ladies would scatter ill consequences
all round. Under such circumstances, we are pretty sure to say or do
something wicked, silly, or unreasonable. But what tortured Triplet
more than anything was his own particular notion that fate doomed him
to witness a formal encounter between these two women, and of course
an encounter of such a nature as we in our day illustrate by "Kilkenny
cats."

To be sure Mrs. Vane had appeared a dove, but doves can peck on certain
occasions, and no doubt she had a spirit at bottom. Her coming to
him proved it. And had not the other been a dove all the morning and
afternoon? Yet, jealousy had turned her to a fiend before his eyes. Then
if (which was not probable) no collision took place, what a situation
was his! Mrs. Woffington (his buckler from starvation) suspected him,
and would distort every word that came from Mrs. Vane's lips.

Triplet's situation was, in fact, that of AEneas in the storm.

"Olim et haec meminisse juvabit--" "But, while present, such things
don't please any one a bit."

It was the sort of situation we can laugh at, and see the fun of it six
months after, if not shipwrecked on it at the time.

With a ghastly smile the poor quaking hypocrite welcomed Mrs. Vane, and
professed a world of innocent delight that she had so honored his humble
roof.

She interrupted his compliments, and begged him to see whether she was
followed by a gentleman in a cloak.

Triplet looked out of the window.

"Sir Charles Pomander!" gasped he.

Sir Charles was at the very door. If, however, he had intended to mount
the stairs he changed his mind, for he suddenly went off round the
corner with a businesslike air, real or fictitious.

"He is gone, madam," said Triplet.

Mrs. Vane, the better to escape detection or observation, wore a
thick mantle and a hood that concealed her features. Of these Triplet
debarrassed her.

"Sit down, madam;" and he hastily drew a chair so that her back was to
the picture.

She was pale, and trembled a little. She hid her face in her hands a
moment, then, recovering her courage, "she begged Mr. Triplet to pardon
her for coming to him. He had inspired her with confidence," she said;
"he had offered her his services, and so she had come to him, for she
had no other friend to aid her in her sore distress." She might have
added, that with the tact of her sex she had read Triplet to the bottom,
and came to him, as she would to a benevolent, muscular old