ng, nor his
dealing with actresses? You will not at any rate get credit for such
innocence when you tell the story. Why;--he has come here to call
upon you, and of course it is all over the theatre already that you
are his mistress. I came in here to endeavour to save you; but I fear
it is too late."

"Impudent scoundrel," said Rachel, jumping up and glaring at him.

"That is all very well, but I have endeavoured to save you. I would
believe none of them when they told me that you would not be my wife
because you were married to Mr. Jones. Nor would I believe them when
they have told me since that you were not fit to be the wife of
anyone." Rachel's hand went in among the folds of her dress, and
returned with a dagger in it. Words had been said to her now which
she swore to herself were unbearable. "Yes; you are in a passion
now;" and as he said so, he contrived to get the round table with
which the room was garnished between himself and her.

"It is true," she said, "your words have been so base that I am no
doubt angry."

"But if you knew it, I am endeavouring to save you. Imprudent as
you have been I still wish to make you my wife." Here Rachel in her
indignation spat upon the floor. "Yes; I am anxious to make you an
honest woman."

"You can make no woman honest. It is altogether beyond your power."

"It will be so when you have taken this lord's money."

"I have not at any rate taken yours. It is that which would disgrace
me. Between this lord and me there has been no word that could do
so."

"Will he make you his wife?"

"Wife! No. He is married for aught that I know. He has spoken to me
no word except about my profession. Nor shall you. Cannot a woman
sing without being wife to any man?"

"Ha, ha, yes indeed!"

She understood the scorn intended to be thrown on her line of life by
his words, and was wretched to think that he was getting the better
of her in conversation. "I can sing and I need no husband."

"It is common with the friends of the lord that they do not generally
rank very high in their profession. I have endeavoured to save you
from this kind of thing, and see the return that I get! You will,
however, soon have left us, and you will then find that to fill first
place at 'The Embankment' is better than a second or a third at
Covent Garden."

During these hot words on both sides she had been standing at a
pier-glass, arranging something in her dress intended to suit Moss's
fancy upon