'He was going to see Mr. Wyvern,' she continued, as if anxious to
lay stress on this. 'He seems to know Mr. Wyvern very well.'

'Yes? You didn't miss Alfred, I hope. He went out a very short time
ago.'

'No, I saw him. He stayed with the others. But I have something more
to tell you, about--about him.'

'About Alfred?'

'About Mr. Eldon.'

Adela looked at her friend with a grave surprise, much as a queen
regards a favourite subject who has been over-bold.

'I think we won't talk of him, Letty,' she said from her height.

'Do forgive me, Adela. I have promised toto say something. There
must have been a great many things said that were not true, just
like this about his marriage; I am so sure of it.'

Adela endeavoured to let the remark pass without replying to it. But
her thought expressed itself involuntarily.

'His marriage? What do you know of it?'

'Mr. Wyvern came to see mother this morning, and showed her a
newspaper that your mother gave him. It said that Mr. Eldon was