y itself.
Such is not the sort of climbing that is required. That is what I
call stooping to pick up the fruit that has fallen." And as she
spoke, she moved a little away from him on the sofa.

"And how is a man to climb?"

"Do you really mean that you want a lesson? But if I were to tell
you, my words would be thrown away. Men will not labour who have
gotten all that they require without work. Why strive to deserve any
woman, when women are plenty who do not care to be deserved? That
plan of picking up the fallen apples is so much the easier."

The lesson might perhaps have been given, and Miss Furnival might
have imparted to Mr. Staveley her idea of "excelsior" in the matter
of love-making, had not Mr. Staveley's mother come into the room at
that moment. Mrs. Staveley was beginning to fear that the results of
her Christmas hospitality would not be satisfactory. Peregrine Orme,
whom she would have been so happy to welcome to the warmest corner of
her household temple as a son, had been sent away in wretchedness and
disappointment. Madeline was moping about the house, hardly making an
effort to look like herself; attributing, in her mother's ears, all
her complaint to that unexpected interview with Peregrine Orme, but
not so attributing it--as her mother fancied--with correctness. And
there was Felix Graham still in the room up stairs, the doctor having
said that he might be moved in a day or two;--that is, such movement
might possibly be effected without detriment;--but having said also
that another ten days of uninterrupted rest would be very desirable.
And now, in addition to this, her son Augustus was to be found on
every wet morning closeted somewhere with Sophia Furnival;--on every
wet morning, and sometimes on dry mornings also!

And then, on this very day, Lady Staveley had discovered that Felix
Graham's door in the corridor was habitually left open. She knew
her child too well, and was too clear and pure in her own mind, to
suppose that there was anything wrong in this;--that clandestine
talkings were arranged, or anything planned in secret. What she
feared was that which really occurred. The door was left open, and as
Madeline passed Felix would say a word, and then Madeline would pause
and answer him. Such words as they were might have been spoken before
all the household, and if so spoken would have been free from danger.
But they were not free from danger when spoken in that way, in the
passage of a ha