difference? You object to her marrying your son, yet you _want_ to
marry her to your son. How do you reconcile it? Surely you are more
of Socialist than I am. You would put the son of a baronet and the
daughter of heaven knows who on an equality."

"Never!" says Lady Rylton. "You don't understand. She will always be
just as she is, and Maurice----"

"And their children?" asks Margaret.

Here Mrs. Bethune springs to her feet.

"Good heavens! Margaret, have you not gone far enough?" says she. If
her face had been pale before, it is livid now. "Why, this
marriage--this marriage"--she beats her hand upon a table near
her--"one would think it was a fact accomplished!"

"I was only saying," says Miss Knollys, looking with a gentle glance
at Marian, "that if Maurice _were_ to marry this girl----"

"It would be an honour to her," interrupts Lady Rylton hotly.

"It would be a degradation to him," says Margaret coldly. "He does
not love her."

She might have said more, but that suddenly Marian Bethune stops
her. The latter, who is leaning against the curtains of the window,
breaks into a wild little laugh.

"Love--what is love?" cries she. "Oh, foolish Margaret! Do not