it."

"You mean you've been keeping it from her because she wouldn't like it?"

"We're afraid she may think papa wouldn't have liked it."

This was said with an absence of humour at which Peter could but show
amusement, though he quickly recovered himself, repenting of any
apparent failure of respect to the high memory of his late celebrated
relative. He threw off rather vaguely: "Ah yes, I remember that great
man's ideas," and then went on: "May I ask if you know it, the fact
we're talking of, through Julia or through Nick?"

"I know it from both of them."

"Then if you're in their confidence may I further ask if this
undertaking of Nick's is the reason why things seem to be at an end
between them?"

"Oh I don't think she likes it," Biddy had to say.

"Isn't it good?"

"Oh I don't mean the picture--she hasn't seen it. But his having done
it."

"Does she dislike it so much that that's why she won't marry him?"

Biddy gave up her work, moving away from it to look at it. She came and
sat down on the long bench on which Sherringham had placed himself. Then
she broke out: "Oh Peter, it's a great trouble--it's a very great
trouble; and I can't tell you, for I don't understand it."

"If I ask you," he said, "it's not to pry into what doesn't concern me;
but Julia's my sister, and I can't after all help taking some interest
in her life. She tells me herself so little. She doesn't think me
worthy."

"Ah poor Julia!" Biddy wailed defensively. Her tone recalled to him that
Julia had at least thought him worthy to unite himself to Bridget
Dormer, and inevitably betrayed that the girl was thinking of that also.
While they both thought of it they sat looking into each other's eyes.

"Nick, I'm sure, doesn't treat _you_ that way; I'm sure he confides in
you; he talks to you about his occupations, his ambitions," Peter
continued. "And you understand him, you enter into them, you're nice to
him, you help him."

"Oh Nick's life--it's very dear to me," Biddy granted.

"That must be jolly for him."

"It makes _me_ very happy."

Peter uttered a low, ambiguous groan; then he cried with irritation;
"What the deuce is the matter with them then? Why can't they hit it off
together and be quiet and rational and do what every one wants them to?"

"Oh Peter, it's awfully complicated!" the girl sighed with sagacity.

"Do you mean that Nick's in love with her?"

"In love with Julia?"

"No, no, with Miriam Rooth."

She s