it with better
effect. When a man is a Member of Parliament and a Queen's Counsel, he
occupies a position which his fellow-countrymen are inclined to regard
as one of very considerable dignity. Editors and sub-editors think twice
before they print unsubstantiated rumors about the near relatives of
such distinguished individuals as Mr. Sydney Campion, Q.C., M.P. Thus,
after the first report of the proceedings at the police court, Lettice's
name scarcely appeared again. She was, indeed, referred to as "the lady
who seems, reasonably or unreasonably, to have excited the jealousy of
the unfortunate wife," or "the third party in this lamentable case, also
well-reputed in the world of letters, with whom the tongue of scandal
has been busy;" but she was not mentioned by name. And therein the
scandal-mongers exercised a wise discretion, for Sydney had secured the
assistance of Mr. Isaacs, one of the smartest solicitors in London, who
found means to impress upon everyone whom it might concern that it would
be a very serious matter indeed to utter anything approaching to a libel
on Miss Lettice Campion.

Moreover, the worthy Mr. Isaacs had an interview with Cora, whom he
found in a sober mood, and so terrified her by his warnings and menaces,
but most of all by the impressive manner and magnetic eye wherewith he
was wont to overawe malefactors of every kind and degree, that she
ceased for a time to speak evil of Lettice.

Yet in Lettice's case also the mischief had been done already. All who
made a point of hearing and remembering the ill that is spoken of their
fellow-creatures, knew what had been said of her, and retailed it in
private for the amusement of their friends. The taint had spread from
Alan to her, and her character suffered before the world for absolutely
no fault of hers, but solely because she had the misfortune to know him.
That was Sydney's way of putting it--and, indeed, it was Alan's way
also, for there was no other conclusion at which it was possible to
arrive.

It was a great consolation for both these men that Lettice was out of
the country at this time. Sydney wrote to her, hinting as delicately as
he could that it was essential to her interests and to his own that she
should remain abroad for at least two or three months longer. Alan wrote
about the same time to Mrs. Hartley, telling her in detail what had
happened, and entreating her to put off her return to London as late as
she could. It was not a