characteristic of her. And besides, I happen to know that it is
true."

"I should like to hear it," I said.

"I am going to tell it you," said the doctor, lighting a fresh
cigar, and pushing the box towards me.


I will leave you to imagine the lad's suddenly developed appetite
for decantered sherry at sixpence a glass, and the familiar currant
bun of our youth. He lunched at Sewell's shop, he tea'd at
Sewell's, occasionally he dined at Sewell's, off cutlets, followed
by assorted pastry. Possibly, merely from fear lest the affair
should reach his mother's ears, for he was neither worldly-wise nor
vicious, he made love to Mary under an assumed name; and to do the
girl justice, it must be remembered that she fell in love with and
agreed to marry plain Mr. John Robinson, son of a colonial
merchant, a gentleman, as she must have seen, and a young man of
easy means, but of a position not so very much superior to her own.
The first intimation she received that her lover was none other
than Lord C-, the future Earl of --, was vouchsafed her during a
painful interview with his lordship's mother.

"I never knew it, madam," asserted Mary, standing by the window of
the drawing-room above the shop, "upon my word of honour, I never
knew it"

"Perhaps not," answered her ladyship coldly. "Would you have
refused him if you had?"