I am convinced that it would be
very, very _unwise_ if you went _at once_ to extremities, Mr. Northway.
I am a woman of the world; I have seen a good deal of life; if you
allowed yourself to be guided by me, you would not regret it."

"You want to save your friends from the results of their behaviour," he
replied, uneasily.

"I assure you, it's not so much that--no, I have _your_ interests in
view quite as much as theirs. Now, seeing that Lilian cannot possibly
take her place as your wife in fact, and that it is practically
impossible to part her from Mr. Quarrier, wouldn't it be well to ask
yourself what is the most prudent course that circumstances allow?"

"If it comes to that, I can always get a divorce."

Mrs. Wade reflected, but with no sign of satisfaction.

"Yes, that is open to you. You would then, of course, be enabled to
marry again.--May I ask if you are quite at ease with regard to your
prospects in life?"

The tone was so delicately impertinent that Northway missed its
significance.

"I haven't quite decided upon anything yet."

"Judging from your conversation, I should say that you will yet find a
place among active and successful men. But the beginning is everything.
If I could be of any assistance to you--I would put it to you frankly,
Mr. Northway: is it worth while sacrificing very solid possibilities to
your--your affection for a woman who has deserted you?"

He shuffled on the chair, clicked with his tongue, and looked about him
undecidedly.

"I am not to be bribed to act against my conscience," he said at length.

Mrs. Wade heard this with pleasure. The blunt, half-blustering
declaration assured her that Northway's "conscience" was on the point
of surrender.

"Now, let me tell you what I should like to do," she continued, bending
towards him. "Will you allow me to go at once and see Mr. Quarrier?"

"And tell him?"

"Yes, let him know what has happened. I quite understand," she added,
caressingly, "how very painful it would be for you to go directly to
him. Will you allow me to be your intermediary? That you and he must
meet is quite certain; may I smooth away the worst difficulties? I
could explain to him your character, your natural delicacy, your
conscientiousness. I could make him understand that he has to meet a
person quite on his own level--an educated man of honourable feeling.
After that, an interview between you would be comparatively easy. I
should be really grateful to