thing toward the achievement of
her purpose. "I suppose he has been idle," she said, "but I did not mean
to trouble you about that." Upon hearing this, Lady Ongar smiled. This
supposition that she had really intended to animadvert upon Harry
Clavering's idleness was amusing to her as she remembered how little
such idleness would signify if she could only have her way.

"Poor Harry!" she said. "I supposed his sins would be laid at my door.
But my idea is, you know, that he will never do any good at such work as
that."

"Perhaps not--that is, I really can't say. I don't think Mr. Burton has
ever expressed any opinion; and if he had--"

"If he had, you wouldn't mention it."

"I don't suppose I should, Lady Ongar--not to a stranger."

"Harry Clavering and I are not strangers," said Lady Ongar, changing the
tone of her voice altogether as she spoke.

"No, I know that. You have known him longer than we have. I am aware of
that."

"Yes; before he ever dreamed of going into your husband's business, Mrs.
Burton; long before he had ever been to--Stratton."

The name of Stratton was an assistance to Cecilia, and seemed to have
been spoken with the view of enabling her to commence her work. "Yes,"
she said, "but nevertheless he did go to Stratton. He went to Stratton,
and there he became acquainted with my sister-in-law, Florence Burton."

"I am aware of it, Mrs. Burton."

"And he also became engaged to her."

"I am aware of that, too. He has told me as much himself."

"And has he told you whether he means to keep or to break that
engagement?"

"Ah! Mrs. Burton, is that question fair? Is it fair either to him or to
me? If he has taken me into his confidence and has not taken you, should
I be doing well to betray him? Or if there can be anything in such a
secret specially interesting to myself; why should I be made to tell it
to you?"

"I think the truth is always the best, Lady Ongar."

"Truth is always better than a lie--so at least people say, though they
sometimes act differently; but silence may be better than either."

"This is a matter, Lady Ongar, in which I cannot be silent. I hope you
will not be vexed with me for coming to you, or for asking you these
questions--"

"Oh dear, no."

"But I can not be silent. My sister-in-law must at any rate know what is
to be her fate."

"Then why do you not ask him?"

"He is ill at present."

"Ill! Where is he ill? Who says he is ill?" And Lady Ongar, though sh