individually, and in her relation to Sir John, a few explanatory words are here needed.

Lady Goodwin was one of those people who appear to have been fraudulently hired by the devil for the purpose of making Christianity look unattractive.

She was narrow-minded and unsympathising, harsh in feature and in disposition, charitable in purse, uncharitable in mind, well-intentioned and conscientious, but cold and intolerant.

Her intercourse with Sir John was practically limited to a ceremonial visit from him about twice a year, during which periods, of about half-an-hour each, their respective angles were wont to become more acute, their respective prejudices more firmly fixed; she to be more uncharitable in one way, he more uncharitable in another -the better nature of each being hermetically sealed.

Each was self-deceived by means of a

different blazon on the same defensive

armour.

Each was dogmatic-she ostensibly, he repudiatingly: each disbelieved in the moral worth of those who held contrary opinions she in a spirit of cruel, cold fanaticism, he in a spirit of cruel, cold, negative philosophy and undistinguishing sarcasm: each was intolerant in religionshe avowedly of all who were not what she called "peculiar Christians," he, unconsciously, of all religion. In brief, during their rare and short interviews, their minds. moved in two parallel lines of uncharitableness; and the parallel lines were not those remarkable ones discovered by Dr. Sacheverell which met in the centre.

The effect of these interviews being stronger and more injurious upon Sir John, in virtue of his stronger intellect and greater susceptibility, he instinctively avoided them, and they gradually diminished in frequency and friendliness; so

that his last visit had measured nearly nine months from the preceding one, and terminated in coolness, not expressed, but understood not necessary, but inevitable.

Such being the state of affairs, we nevertheless find him now, within a month of his previous visit, calling upon her, at ten o'clock in the morning, to ask a favour of her. Their interview is as follows:

Sir John (trying to look glad to see her). "Well, Hester, I'm come upon you early this morning."

Lady Goodwin (raising her right arm from the elbow and extending two fingers). "Hm-How do you do, John? I'm sure I don't know what brings you here."

Sir John (aside). "I wish I could say the same thing-(aloud): Well, Hester, are you not glad to see me? I have not been in town, till this morning, since I saw you last."

Lady Goodwin. "Or during the nine

months before then?

This is what you

people of the world call speaking the truth. I wish you could have sat under my excellent and talented friend, Mr. Smalleye, last Sunday, and have heard what he said about that sort of lies."

Sir John. "But, my dear Hester, don't you see, when I called the time before, you blew me up so because I happened to come up from Melton that day. Well, I will come to the point;-I have something particular to say, though you mustn't think that I should not have come without."

Lady Goodwin's eyes twinkled a serious. twinkle. Sir John proceeded with a degree of haste that might fairly be called precipitate:

"You mustn't think that at all. . . but I know you like to do a good action (by the by, if you have any poor people you want to do something for this winter, I'll give what I can, as far as my own people

leave me free to do so-and they're pretty well off just now). Well, you like to do a

good action; and I can tell you of one; quite of another kind, but a very good action it would be... Well, the fact is, there is a lady -a foreign lady- an Italian lady, who has been very unfortunate

and it really wasn't her fault at all— the fact is, it was

Lady Goodwin (detectively).

"Thank

you; you have no occasion to enter into particulars. I can quite understand; and I wonder you can have the face to come to me and talk in this way; but it's just what might be expected from a man whose heart is set entirely upon the vanities of the world, as yours has been ever since you were five years old and your mother left your hair long and curling over your shoulders. What does she want, in case I should be able to do anything for herthat is, supposing she should prove to be