a superimposed sorrow:

'O last regret, regret can die!'

But being convinced that the death of this regret was the best thing for
him, he did not long shrink from attempting it. He closed his chambers,
suspended his connection with editors, and left London for the
Continent. Here we will leave him to wander without purpose, beyond the
nominal one of encouraging obliviousness of Elfride.

Chapter XXXVI

'The pennie's the jewel that beautifies a'.'

'I can't think what's coming to these St. Launce's people at all at
all.'

'With their "How-d'ye-do's," do you mean?'

'Ay, with their "How-d'ye-do's," and shaking of hands, asking me in, and
tender inquiries for you, John.'

These words formed part of a conversation between John Smith and
his wife on a Saturday evening in the spring which followed Knight's
departure from England. Stephen had long since returned to India; and
the persevering couple themselves had migrated from Lord Luxellian's
park at Endelstow to a comfortable roadside dwelling about a mile out of
St. Launce's, where John had opened a small stone and slate yard in his
own name.

'When we came here six months ago,' continued Mrs. Smith, 'though I
had paid ready money so many years in the town, my friskier shopkeepers
would only speak over the counter. Meet 'em in the street half-an-hour
after, and they'd treat me with staring ignorance of my face.'

'Look through ye as through a glass winder?'

'Yes, the brazen ones would. The quiet and cool ones would glance over
the top of my head, past my side, over my shoulder, but never meet my
eye. The gentle-modest would turn their faces south if I were coming
east, flit down a passage if I were about to halve the pavement with
them. There was the spruce young bookseller would play the same tricks;
the butcher's daughters; the upholsterer's young men. Hand in glove
when doing business out of sight with you; but caring nothing for a' old
woman when playing the genteel away from all signs of their trade.'

'True enough, Maria.'

'Well, to-day 'tis all different. I'd no sooner got to market than Mrs.
Joakes rushed up to me in the eyes of the town and said, "My dear Mrs.
Smith, now you must be tired with your walk! Come in and have some
lunch! I insist upon it; knowing you so many years as I have! Don't you
remember when we used to go looking for owls' feathers together in the
Castle ruins?" There's no knowing what you may need, so I