now that Julian came every day, but she got no new
music pupils, and she heard nothing about the evening parties at Lady
Ashley's. She concluded that Sir Philip and his mother had forgotten
her, but such was not the case. There had been a death in the family,
and the consequent period of mourning had prevented Lady Ashley from
giving any parties--that was all.

For some little time, therefore, Janetta's life seemed likely to flow on
in a very peaceful way. Mrs. Colwyn "broke out" only once between
Christmas and Easter, and was more penitent and depressed after her
outbreak than Janetta had ever seen her. Matters went on more quietly
than ever after this event. Easter came, and brought Nora and Georgie
home again, and then there was a period of comparative excitement and
jollity, for the Brands began to come with much regularity to the little
house in Gwynne Street, and there were merry-makings almost every day.

But when the accustomed routine began again, Janetta, in her
conscientious way, took herself seriously to task. She had not been
governing herself, her thoughts, her time, her temper, as she conceived
that it was right for her to do. On reflection, it seemed to her that
one person lately filled up the whole of her mental horizon. And this
person she was genuinely shocked to find was Wyvis Brand.

Why should she concern herself so much about him? He was married; he had
a child; his mother and brother lived with him, and supplied his need of
society. He went out into the world about Beaminster more than he used
to do, and might have been fairly popular if he had exerted himself, but
this he would never do. There were fewer reports current about his bad
companions, or his unsteady way of life; and Janetta gathered from
various sources that he had entirely abandoned that profane and
reckless method of speech for which she had rebuked him. He was
improving, certainly. Well, was that any reason why she should think
about him so much, or consider his character and his probable fate so
earnestly? She saw no reason in it, she told herself; and perhaps she
was right.

There was another reason even more potent for making her think of him.
He had had an unsatisfactory, troublous sort of life; he had been
unfortunate in his domestic relations, and he was most decidedly an
unhappy man. Many a woman before Janetta has found reasons of this kind
suffice for love of a man. Certainly, in Janetta's case, they formed the
basis