made to Godwin was a
small matter; not so the risk of being overcome by an ignoble jealousy.
She had no overweening confidence in the steadfastness of her
self-respect, if circumstances were all on the side of sensual impulse.
And the longer she brooded on this peril, the more it allured her. For
therewith was connected the one satisfaction which still remained to
her: however little he desired to keep her constantly in mind, Godwin
Peak must of necessity do so after what had passed between them. Had
but her discovery remained her own secret, then the pleasure of
commanding her less pure emotions, of proving to Godwin that she was
above the weakness of common women, might easily have prevailed. Now
that her knowledge was shared by others, she had lost that safeguard
against lower motive. The argument that to unmask hypocrisy was in
itself laudable she dismissed with contempt; let that be the resource
of a woman who would indulge her rancour whilst keeping up the inward
pretence of sanctity. If _she_ erred in the ways characteristic of her
sex, it should at all events be a conscious degradation.

'Have you seen that odd creature Malkin lately?' she asked of
Christian, a day or two after.

'No, I haven't; I thought of him to make up our dinner on Sunday; but
you had rather not have him here, I daresay?'

'Oh, he is amusing. Ask him by all means,' said Marcella, carelessly.

'He may have heard about Peak from Earwaker, you know. If he begins to
talk before people'----

'Things have gone too far for such considerations,' replied his sister,
with a petulance strange to her habits of speech.

'Well, yes,' admitted Christian, glancing at her. 'We can't be
responsible.'

He reproached himself for this attitude towards Peak, but was heartily
glad that Marcella seemed to have learnt to regard the intriguer with a
wholesome indifference.

On the second day after Christmas, as they sat talking idly in the
dusking twilight, the door of the drawing-room was thrown open, and a
visitor announced. The name answered with such startling suddenness to
the thought with which Marcella had been occupied that, for an instant,
she could not believe that she had heard aright. Yet it was undoubtedly
Mr. Warricombe who presented himself. He came forward with a slightly
hesitating air, but Christian made haste to smooth the situation. With
the help of those commonplaces by which even intellectual people are at
times compelled to prove th