contemporaries," added Algitha,
"if they fail to produce a dramatic climax of the same kind."

"Only," said Mrs. Temperley, "if they _do_ venture upon their own
dreadful deed--the deed demanded by their particular modern
predicament--then we all shriek vigorously."

"Oh, we shriek less than we used to," said Lady Engleton. "It is quite a
relief to be able to retain one's respectability on easier terms."

"In such a case as Miss Du Prel depicts? I doubt it. _Caterina_, in real
life, would have a lively story to tell. How selfish we should think
her! How we should point to the festoons of bleeding hearts that she had
wounded--a dripping cordon round the deserted home! No; I believe Miss
Du Prel herself would be horrified at her own _Caterina_ if she came
upon her unexpectedly in somebody's drawing-room."

There was a laugh.

"Of course, a great deal is to be said for the popular way of looking at
the matter," Lady Engleton observed. "This fascinating heroine must have
caused a great deal of real sorrow, or at least she _would_ have caused
it, were it not that her creator had considerably removed all relatives,
except a devoted couple of unorthodox parents, who are charmed at her
decision to scandalize society, and wonder why she doesn't do it sooner.
Parents like that don't grow on every bush."

Mrs. Walker glanced nervously at her astonished girls.

Lady Engleton pointed out that had _Caterina_ been situated in a more
ordinary manner, she would have certainly broken her parents' hearts and
embittered their last years, to say nothing of the husband and perhaps
the children, who would have suffered for want of a mother's care.

"But why should the husband suffer?" asked Algitha. "_Caterina's_
husband cordially detested her."

"It is customary to regard the occasion as one proper for suffering,"
said Mrs. Temperley, "and every well-regulated husband would suffer
accordingly."

"Clearly," assented Lady Engleton. "When the world congratulates us we
rejoice, when it condoles with us we weep."

"That at least, would not affect the children," said Algitha. "I don't
see why of necessity _they_ should suffer."

"Their share of the woe would be least of all, I think," Mrs. Temperley
observed. "What ogre is going to ill-treat them? And since few of us
know how to bring up so much as an earth-worm reasonably, I can't see
that it matters so very much which particular woman looks after the
children. Any average fool woul