, but it couldn't have seemed a thing of any
importance.«
    »You spoke with him in private, it seems?«
    »Yes, I saw him for a few minutes - in Exeter.«
    »And you hadn't said anything to the Walworths that - that would surprise
them?«
    »Purposely not. - Why should I injure him?«
    Christian knit his brows. He understood too well why his sister should
refrain from such injury.
    »You would have behaved in the same way,« Marcella added.
    »Why really - yes, perhaps so. Yet I don't know. - In plain English, Peak is
a wolf in sheep's clothing!«
    »I don't know anything about that,« she replied, with gloomy evasion.
    »Nonsense, my dear girl! - Had he the impudence to pretend to you that he
was sincere?«
    »He made no declaration.«
    »But you are convinced he is acting the hypocrite, Marcella. You spoke of
the risk of injuring him. - What are his motives? What does he aim at?«
    »Scarcely a bishopric, I should think,« she replied, bitterly.
    »Then, by Jove! Earwaker may be right!«
    Marcella darted an inquiring look at him.
    »What has he thought?«
    »I'm ashamed to speak of it. He suggested once that Peak might disguise
himself for the sake of - of making a good marriage.«
    The reply was a nervous laugh.
    »Look here, Marcella.« He caught her hand. »This is a very awkward business.
Peak is disgracing himself; he will be unmasked; there'll be a scandal. It was
kind of you to keep silence - when don't you behave kindly, dear girl? - but
think of the possible results to us. We shall be something very like
accomplices.«
    »How?« Marcella exclaimed, impatiently. »Who need know that we were so
intimate with him?«
    »Warricombe seems to know it.«
    »Who can prove that he isn't sincere?«
    »No one, perhaps. But it will seem a very odd thing that he hid away from
all his old friends. You remember, I betrayed that to Warricombe, before I knew
that it mattered.«
    Yes, and Mr. Warricombe could hardly forget the circumstance. He would press
his investigation - knowing already, perhaps, of Peak's approaches to his sister
Sidwell.
    »Marcella, a man plays games like that at
