n you really entertain the
thought of selling things so precious to our family?"

"Roland wished you to buy them. If you do not value them sufficiently
to do so, why should I keep them? In my father's cottage they would be
absurd."

"Your father's cottage? You are laughing at me!"

"I am too sorrowful a woman to laugh. A few weeks ago, if I had had
only one of these pictures I would have sold it for a mouthful of
bread--for a little coal to warm myself; oh, my God! for medicine to
save my child's life or to ease his passage to the grave."

"I had forgotten the child. Where is he?"

"By his father's side."

"That is well and best, doubtless."

"It is not well and best. What do you know? You have never been a
mother. God never gave you such sorrowful grace."

"We will return to the list, if you please. What do you propose to
do?"

"I have spoken to a man in Baker Street who deals in such things. If
you wish to buy them and will pay their fair value I will sell them to
you, because Roland desired you to have them. If you do not wish to
buy them or will not pay a fair price I will remove them to Baker
Street. There are others who will know their value."

"I advanced Roland a great deal of money."

"You gave him it. You demanded and accepted his thanks. The sums all
told would not pay for the use of the property."

"I shall do right, of course. Bring the man you have spoken of
to-morrow afternoon, and I also will have here an expert of the same
kind. I will pay you whatever they decide is a proper sum."

"That will satisfy me."

"I am sorry affairs have come to this point between us. I tried to be
kind to you. I think you have been very ungrateful."

"You were kind only to yourself. You never were a favourite in St.
Penfer. Other ladies did not often call upon you. In me you had a
companionship which you could control, you had your sewing done for
next to nothing, you had the news of the town brought to you. You
played upon my restless disposition, my love of fine clothing, my
ambition to be some one greater than Denas Penelles, and as soon as
good fortune came to you and you had everything you desired, you found
me a bore, a claimant on your sense of justice which you did not like
to meet. Understand that the fact of wearing silk and jewelry does not
give you the right to take up an immortal soul and play with it or
cast it aside as you find it convenient. I owe you the deepest grudge.
You made me dissat