't escape
notice; besides -«
    »Let me explain, mother.« Adela's voice was made firm by the suggestion that
she had behaved unbecomingly. »I went to Letty first of all to tell her of a
difficulty I was in. Yesterday afternoon I happened to meet Mr. Eldon, and when
he was saying good-bye I asked him if he wouldn't come and see you before he
left Wanley. He promised to come this afternoon. At the time of course I didn't
know that Alfred had invited Mr. Mutimer. It would have been so disagreeable for
Mr. Eldon to meet him here, I made up my mind to walk towards the Manor and tell
Mr. Eldon what had happened.«
    »Why should Mr. Eldon have found the meeting with Mr. Mutimer disagreeable?«
    »They don't like each other.«
    »I dare say not. Perhaps it was as well Mr. Eldon didn't come. I should most
likely have refused to see him.«
    »Refused to see him, mother?«
    Adela gazed in the utmost astonishment.
    »Yes, my dear. I haven't spoken to you about Mr. Eldon, just because I took
it for granted that he would never come in your way again. That he should have
dared to speak to you is something beyond what I could have imagined. When I
went to see Mrs. Eldon on Friday I didn't take you with me, for fear lest that
young man should show himself. It was impossible for you to be in the same room
with him.«
    »With Mr. Hubert Eldon? My dearest mother, what are you saying?«
    »Of course it surprises you, Adela. I too was surprised. I thought there
might be no need to speak to you of things you ought never to hear mentioned,
but now I am afraid I have no choice. The sad truth is that Mr. Eldon has
utterly disgraced himself. When he ought to have been here to attend Mr.
Mutimer's funeral, he was living at Paris and other such places in the most
shocking dissipation. Things are reported of him which I could not breathe to
you; he is a bad young man!«
    The inclusiveness of that description! Mrs. Waltham's head quivered as she
gave utterance to the words, for at least half of the feeling she expressed was
genuine. To her hearer the final phrase was like a thunderstroke. In a certain
profound work on the history of her country which she had been
