if I felt that she could do so more
than I, I would leave him to her though I broke my own. I have spoken to
you very openly. Will she say as much as that?"

"She would act in that way. I do not know what she would say."

"Then let her do so, and leave him to be the judge of his own happiness.
Let her pledge herself that no reproaches shall come from her, and I
will pledge myself equally. It was I who loved him first, and it is I
who have brought him into this trouble. I owe him everything. Had I been
true to him, he would never have thought of; never have seen Miss
Florence Burton."

All that was no doubt true, but it did not touch the question of
Florence's right. The fact on which Mrs. Burton wished to insist, if
only she knew how, was this, that Florence had not sinned at all, and
that Florence therefore ought not to bear any part of the punishment. It
might be very true that Harry's fault was to be excused in part because
of Lady Ongar's greater and primary fault, but why should Florence be
the scapegoat?

"You should think of his honor as well as his happiness," said Mrs.
Burton at last.

"That is rather severe, Mrs. Burton, considering that it is said to me
in my own house. Am I so low as that, that his honor will be tarnished
if I become his wife?" But she, in saying this, was thinking of things
of which Mrs. Burton knew nothing.

"His honor will be tarnished," said she, "if he do not marry her whom he
has promised to marry. He was welcomed by her father and mother to their
house, and then he made himself master of her heart. But it was not his
till he had asked for it, and had offered his own and his hand in return
for it. Is he not bound to keep his promise? He can not be bound to you
after any such fashion as that. If you are solicitous for his welfare,
you should know that if he would live with the reputation of a
gentleman, there is only one course open to him."

"It is the old story," said Lady Ongar; "the old story! Has not somebody
said that the gods laugh at the perjuries of lovers? I do not know that
men are inclined to be much more severe than the gods. These broken
hearts are what women are doomed to bear."

"And that is to be your answer to me, Lady Ongar?"

"No, that is not my answer to you. That is the excuse I make for Harry
Clavering. My answer to you has been very explicit. Pardon me if I say
that it has been more explicit than you had any right to expect. I have
told you that I am