on me that Perfect Beings won't wash, and that the Blessed have
drawbacks, and that their Choir would pall. I am inclined to back out,
and decide that the two of them would have been more miserable if the
discovery had come upon them post mortem than they will be now--in a
little time at least. At first of course it must be maddening to think
of the twenty odd years they have been cheated out of. Really the Divine
Disposer of Events might have had a little consideration for the
Dramatis Personae." He jumped to another topic. "You know your mamma paid
our papa a visit last--last Thursday, wasn't it?--yes, Thursday!"

"Oh yes--I heard all about it. She had a short chat with him, and he
gave her a very good cup of tea. He told her about some very old
acquaintances whom she hadn't heard of for years who live in Tavistock
Square."

"Was _that_ all?"

"No. The lady very-old acquaintance had been a Miss Tyrawley, and had
married her riding-master."

"Was _that_ all?"

"No. She called you and 'Re 'the son and daughter.' Then she talked of
our 'engagement as your father persists in calling it.' My blood boiled
for quite five minutes."

"All that sounds--very usual! Was there nothing else? That was very
little for such a long visit."

"How long was the visit?"

"Much too long for what you've told me. Think of something else!"

Now Gwen had been keeping something back. Under pressure she let it out.
"Well--mamma thought fit to say that your father entirely shared her
views! Was that true?"

"Which of her views?... I suppose I know, though! I should say it was
half-true--truish, suppose we call it!" Then Adrian began to feel he had
been rash. How was he to explain to Gwen that his father thought she was
perhaps--to borrow his own phrase--"sacrificing herself on his shrine"?
It would be like calling on her to attest her passion for _him_. Now a
young lady is at liberty to make any quantity of ardent protestations
_off her own bat_, as the cricketers say; but a lover cannot solicit
testimonials, to be produced if called for by parents or guardians.
However, Gwen had no intention of leaving explanation to him. She
continued:--

"When my mother said that your father entirely shared her views, I know
which she meant, perfectly well. She has got a foolish idea into her
head--and so has my dear old papa, so she's not alone--that I am
marrying you to make up to you for ... for the accident." She found it
harder and harder to