As Arthur had evinced no symptoms
of making love to Miss Gauntlet, the good lady had been satisfied,
and now she felt somewhat slighted that her hospitality was not more
valued.

But Adela explained in her own soft manner that it would be better
for her to leave that neighbourhood; that her heart was sore there;
that her sorrow for her father would be lighter if she were away.
What hypocrites women are! Even Ophelia in her madness would pretend
that she raved for her murdered father, when it was patent to all the
world that she was mad for love for Hamlet. And now Adela must leave
Hurst Staple because, forsooth, her poor old father lay buried at
West Putford. Would not ten words have quieted that ghost for ever?
But then, what is the use of a lady's speech but to conceal her
thoughts?

Bertram had spoken to Arthur about Caroline's marriage, but he had as
yet said no word on the subject to any one else. Mrs. Wilkinson had
tried him once or twice, but in vain. He could not bare his bosom to
Mrs. Wilkinson.

"So you are going, Adela?" he said the morning he had heard the news.
They had all called her Adela in that house, and he had learned to do
as others did. These intimacies will sometimes grow up in five days,
though an acquaintance of twenty years will often not produce them.

"Yes, Mr. Bertram. I have been a great trouble to them here, and it
is time that I should be gone."

"'Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.' Had I a house, I
should endeavour to act on that principle. I would never endeavour
to keep a person who wished to go. But we shall all regret you. And
then, Littlebath is not the place for you. You will never be happy at
Littlebath."

"Why not?"

"Oh, it is a wretched place; full of horse-jockeys and hags--of
card-tables and false hair."

"I shall have nothing to do with the card-tables, and I hope not with
the false hair--nor yet much, I suppose, with the horse-jockeys."

"There will still remain the worst of the four curses."

"Mr. Bertram, how can you be so evil-minded? I have had many happy
days at Littlebath." And then she paused, for she remembered that her
happy days there had all been passed with Caroline Waddington.

"Yes, and I also have had happy days there," said he; "very happy.
And I am sure of this--that they would have been happy still but for
the influence of that wretched place."

Adela could make no answer to this at the moment, so she went on
hemming at her coll