not
feel herself contented with Mr. Houghton."

"Then why did she marry him?"

"Ah;--why indeed."

"A woman ought to be contented with her husband. But at any rate what
right can she have to disturb other people? I suppose you never wrote
her a love-letter."

"Never, certainly;--since her marriage." This indeed was true. The lady
had frequently written to him, but he had warily kept his hands from
pen and ink and had answered her letters by going to her.

"And yet she could persevere! Women can do such mean things! I would
sooner have broken my heart and died than have asked a man to say that
he loved me. I don't suppose you have much to be proud of. I daresay
she has half a dozen others. You won't see her again?"

"I think I may be driven to do so. I do not wish to have to write to
her, and yet I must make her understand that all this is to be over."

"She'll understand that fast enough when she does not see you. It would
have served her right to have sent that letter to her husband."

"That would have been cruel, Mary."

"I didn't do it. I thought of doing it, and wouldn't do it. But it
would have served her right. I suppose she was always writing."

"She had written, but not quite like that," said Lord George. He was
not altogether comfortable during this conversation.

"She writes lots of such letters no doubt. You do then mean to go there
again?"

"I think so. Of course I do not look upon her as being so utterly a
castaway as you do."

"I believe her to be a heartless, vile, intriguing woman, who married
an old man without caring a straw for him, and who doesn't care how
miserable she makes other people. And I think she is very--very ugly.
She paints frightfully. Anybody can see it. And as for false
hair,--why, it's nearly all false." Lady George certainly did not
paint, and had not a shred of false hair about her. "Oh, George, if you
do go, do be firm! You will be firm;--will you not?"

"I shall go simply that this annoyance may be at an end."

"Of course you will tell her that I will never speak to her again. How
could I? You would not wish it;--would you?" In answer to this there
was nothing for him to say. He would have wished that a certain amount
of half friendly intercourse should be carried on; but he could not ask
her to do this. After a time he might perhaps be able to press on her
the advantage of avoiding a scandal, but as yet he could not do even
that. He had achieved more than he ha