pinion about the 'Ethical Concept of the Good.'

"It was only that I was so troubled about something Mrs. O'Reilly has
just told me," said Lena Houghton. "You won't tell any one that I told
you?"

"On no account," said the curate, warmly.

"Well, you know Mr. Zaluski, and how the Morleys have taken him up?"

"Every one has taken him up," said the curate, with the least little
touch of resentment in his tone. "I knew that the Morleys were his
special friends; I imagine that he admires Miss Morley."

"Yes, every one thinks they are either engaged or on the brink of it. And
oh, Mr. Blackthorne, can't you or somebody put a stop to it, for it seems
such a dreadful fate for poor Gertrude?"

The curate looked startled.

"Why, I don't profess to like Mr. Zaluski," he said. "But I don't know
anything exactly against him."

"But I do. Mrs. O'Reilly has just been telling me."

"What did she tell you?" he asked with some curiosity.

"Why, she has found out that he is really a Nihilist--just think of a
Nihilist going about loose like this, and playing tennis at the rectory
and all the good houses! And not only that, but she says he is
altogether a dangerous, unprincipled man with a dreadful temper. You
can't think how unhappy she is about poor Gertrude, and so am I, for we
were at school together and have always been friends."

"I am very sorry to hear about it," said Mr. Blackthorne, "but I don't
see that anything can be done. You see, one does not like to interfere
in these sort of things. It seems officious rather, and meddlesome."

"Yes, that is the worst of it," she replied, with a sigh. "I suppose we
can do nothing. Still, it has been a great relief just to tell you about
it and get it off my mind. I suppose we can only hope that something may
put a stop to it all--we must just leave it to chance."

This sentiment amused me not a little. Leave it to chance indeed! Had
she not caused me to grow stronger and larger by every word she uttered?
And had not the conversation revealed to me Mr. Blackthorn's one
vulnerable part? I knew well enough that I should be able to dominate
his thoughts as I had done hers. Finding me burdensome, she had passed
me on to somebody else with additions that vastly increased my working
powers, and then she talked of leaving it to chance! The way in which
mortals practise pious frauds on themselves is really delightful! And
yet Lena Houghton was a good sort of girl, and