n most occasions
was closed so firmly. She said suddenly, in the midst of something quite
different, "Oh, I wish Phil was not so much engaged with those dreadful
city men."

"My dear!" said Mrs. Dennistoun, who was thinking of far other things;
and then she said, "there surely cannot be much to fear in that respect.
He is never in the city--he is never up, my dear, when the city men are
doing their work."

"Ah," said Elinor, "I don't think that matters; he is in with them all
the same."

"Well, Elinor, there is no reason that there should be any harm in it. I
would much rather he had some real business in hand than be merely a
butterfly of fashion. You must not entertain that horror of city men."

"The kind he knows are different from the kind you know, mamma."

"I suppose everything is different from what it was in my time: but it
need not be any worse for that----"

"Oh, mother! you are obstinate in thinking well of everything; but
sometimes I am so frightened, I feel as if I must do something dreadful
myself--to precipitate the ruin which nothing I can do will stop----"

"Elinor, Elinor, this is far too strong language----"

"Mamma, he wants me to speak to you again. He wants you to give your
money----"

"But I have told you already I cannot give it, Elinor."

"Heaven be praised for that! But he will speak to you himself, he will
perhaps try to--bully you, mamma."

"Elinor!"

"It is horrible, what I say; yes, it is horrible, but I want to warn
you. He says things----"

"Nothing that he can say will make me forget that he is your husband,
Elinor."

"Ah, but don't think too much of that, mamma. Think that he doesn't know
what he is doing--poor Phil, oh, poor Phil! He is hurried on by these
people; and then it will break up, and the poor people will be ruined,
and they will upbraid him, and yet he will not be a whit the better. He
does not get any of the profit. I can see it all as clear---- And there
are so many other things."

Mrs. Dennistoun's heart sank in her breast, for she too knew what were
the other things. "We must have patience," she said; "he is in his
hey-day, full of--high spirits, and thinking everything he touches must
go right. He will steady down in time."

"Oh, I am not complaining," cried Elinor, hurriedly dashing her tears
away; "if you were not a dreadfully good mamma, if you would grumble
sometimes and find fault, that I might defend him! It is the sight of
you there, seeing