couldn't live without him? It was Adela's belief that she gave no
sign. But the girl thought it really remarkable of her not to have
betrayed her ingenious young visitor. Adela's judgement of human
nature was perhaps harsh, but she believed that most women, given the
various facts, wouldn't have been so forbearing. This lady's
conception of the point of honour placed her there in a finer and
purer light than had at all originally promised to shine about her.

She meanwhile herself could well judge how heavy her father found the
burden of Godfrey's folly and how he was incommoded at having to pay
the horrible woman six hundred a year. Doubtless he was having
dreadful letters from her; doubtless she threatened them all with
hideous exposure. If the matter should be bruited Godfrey's
prospects would collapse on the spot. He thought Madrid very
charming and curious, but Mrs. Godfrey was in England, so that his
father had to face the music. Adela took a dolorous comfort in her
mother's being out of that--it would have killed her; but this didn't
blind her to the fact that the comfort for her father would perhaps
have been greater if he had had some one to talk to about his
trouble. He never dreamed of doing so to her, and she felt she
couldn't ask him. In the family life he wanted utter silence about
it. Early in the winter he went abroad for ten weeks, leaving her
with her sisters in the country, where it was not to be denied that
at this time existence had very little savour. She half expected her
sister-in-law would again descend on her; but the fear wasn't
justified, and the quietude of the awful creature seemed really to
vibrate with the ring of gold-pieces. There were sure to be extras.
Adela winced at the extras. Colonel Chart went to Paris and to Monte
Carlo and then to Madrid to see his boy. His daughter had the vision
of his perhaps meeting Mrs. Churchley somewhere, since, if she had