w is not even cynical; any one might proclaim it
seriously."

"Yes; but don't do so in Polterham."

The other laughed, and at the same moment remembered how long it was
since such an expression of mirth had escaped his lips.

"Well," he exclaimed, "I feel better to-day than for long enough. I've
been going through a devilish bad time, I can tell you. To make things
worse, some one has fixed an infernal accusation on me--an abominable
calumny. I won't talk about it now, but it may be necessary some day."

"Calumny?--nothing that could be made use against you in public?"

"No danger of that, I think. I didn't mean to speak of it."

"You know that a man on the hustings must look out for mud?"

"Of course, of course!--How do you spend your afternoons? What shall we
do?"

William threw away the end of a cigar, and stretched himself.

"I do very little but read," he answered. "A man gets the reading
habit, just like the morphia habit, or anything else of that kind. I
think my average is six novels a week: French, Russian, German,
Italian. No English, unless I'm in need of an emetic. What else should
I do? It's a way of watching contemporary life.--Would you like to go
and talk with Ivy? Oh, I forgot that girl."

"You wouldn't care to ask some people to dinner one of these days--the
right kind of people?"

"Yes, yes; we'll do that. I must warn you not to talk much about art,
and above all not to play the piano. It would make a bad impression."

"All right. How shall I deal with Liversedge? I go there this evening,
you remember."

"Sound him, if opportunity offers. No hurry, you know. We have probably
several months before us. You'll have to live here a good deal."

As the rain had ceased, they presently went out into the garden and
strolled aimlessly about.

CHAPTER VII

No sooner had Mr. Liversedge become aware of his brother-in-law's
promise to appear on the platform, than he despatched a note to Mr.
Wykes, recommending exceptional industry in spreading the announcement.
These addresses were not commonly of a kind to excite much interest,
nor had the name of Mr. Denzil Quarrier any prestige in Polterham; it
occasioned surprise when messengers ran about the town distributing
handbills, which gave a general invitation (independent of membership)
to that evening's lecture at the Institute. At the doors of the
building itself was a large placard, attracting the eye by its bold
inscription: "Woman: Her