might be if she were in love with a fellow.
I doubt her thinking men worth the trouble. I never met the man. But
if she were to take fire, Troy 'd be nothing to it. I wonder whether we
might go in: I dread the house.'

Dacier spoke of departing.

'No, no, wait,' Sir Lukin begged him. 'I was talking about women. They
are the devil--or he makes most use of them: and you must learn to
see the cloven foot under their petticoats, if you're to escape them.
There's no protection in being in love with your wife; I married for
love; I am, I always have been, in love with her; and I went to the
deuce. The music struck up and away I waltzed. A woman like Diana
Warwick might keep a fellow straight, because she,'s all round you;
she's man and woman in brains; and legged like a deer, and breasted like
a swan, and a regular sheaf of arrows--in her eyes. Dark women--ah! But
she has a contempt for us, you know. That's the secret of her.--Redworth
's at the door. Bad? Is it bad? I never was particularly fond of that
house--hated it. I love it now for Emmy's sake. I couldn't live
in another--though I should be haunted. Rather her ghost than
nothing--though I'm an infernal coward about the next world. But if
you're right with religion you needn't fear. What I can't comprehend in
Redworth is his Radicalism, and getting richer and richer.'

'It's not a vow of poverty,' said Dacier.

'He'll find they don't coalesce, or his children will. Once the masses
are uppermost! It's a bad day, Dacier, when we 've no more gentlemen in
the land. Emmy backs him, so I hold my tongue. To-morrow's a Sunday. I
wish you were staying here; I 'd take you to church with me-we shirk
it when we haven't a care. It couldn't do you harm. I've heard capital
sermons. I've always had the good habit of going to church, Dacier. Now
's the time for remembering them. Ah, my dear fellow, I 'm not a parson.
It would have been better for me if I had been.'

And for you too! his look added plainly. He longed to preach; he was
impelled to chatter.

Redworth reported the patient perfectly quiet, breathing calmly.

'Laudanum?' asked Sir Lukin. 'Now there's a poison we've got to bless!
And we set up in our wisdom for knowing what is good for us!'

He had talked his hearers into a stupefied assent to anything he
uttered.

'Mrs. Warwick would like to see you in two or three minutes; she will
come down,' Redworth said to Dacier.

'That looks well, eh? That looks bravely,'