nless that her friends would take no notice of me; and
when it turned out that they did she lost her temper."

"You have lost yours, Virginia. I presume you will tell me presently
that Mr. Spence flirted with you. I never heard such nonsense in my
life, and wicked nonsense too; for you are doing your best to injure the
character of a young woman who is in every way your superior, and has
had none of your advantages. As I just said, I presume you will claim
that Mr. Spence flirted with you, and that he wrote to you first."

"Wrote to me? He has never written to me; nor I to him, except to ask
his advice about a teacher."

"You admit so much?"

"Why shouldn't I? I was interested in his theories, and I applied to him
as the most natural person to consult."

"It is very easy to explain it away in that manner, but unfortunately
for you my informant adopted--"

"Why don't you say Miss Kingsley, and have done with it, Aunt Agnes?"

"Very well then, if you prefer, Miss Kingsley adopted a very different
style in speaking of you than you employ in speaking of her. She tried
to spare you as much as possible, and said what she did only with great
reluctance. I could see that she was holding back, and was resolved not
to tell the whole. 'Of course,' she said, 'I know Miss Virginia did not
mean to offend, and very likely in general society her little
indiscretions would have been quite proper; but at a purely intellectual
gathering like ours, from which as you know all vanities are rigorously
excluded, it did seem to me unsympathetic of a new-comer to introduce
an element of coquetry. When I say that since then she has written notes
to Mr. Spence, whose time is precious as gold, asking him to call upon
her in a social way, you will I am sure, my dear Miss Harlan, excuse my
speaking. It is for her own good that I have ventured to do so, as a
word from you would convince her of her thoughtlessness.'"

"The hypocrite!" I murmured, too indignant to restrain myself.

"There you go again, vilifying her with abusive epithets when she has
simply done her duty as a friend. Contrast for instance your various
expressions with hers. 'Jealous;' 'invited you to her house because you
were fashionable' (a most unwarranted assumption); 'a hypocrite;' and,
worst of all, you accuse her of trying to win the affections of a man
whom she venerates as a master, and who though he has never taken the
vow of celibacy is too much absorbed in the life-