, though with
friendliness.
    »Why I speak of it at all,« Marian hastened to say, »is because I am so
afraid it should make a difference between yourselves and me.«
    »Oh! don't think that!« Dora exclaimed.
    »I am so ashamed,« Marian went on in an uncertain tone, »but I think it will
be better if I don't ask you to come and see me. It sounds ridiculous; it is
ridiculous and shameful. I couldn't complain if you refused to have anything
more to do with me.«
    »Don't let it trouble you,« urged Maud, with perhaps a trifle more of
magnanimity in her voice than was needful. »We quite understand. Indeed, it
shan't make any difference to us.«
    But Marian had averted her face, and could not meet these assurances with
any show of pleasure. Now that the step was taken she felt that her behaviour
had been very weak. Unreasonable harshness such as her father's ought to have
been met more steadily; she had no right to make it an excuse for such
incivility to her friends. Yet only in some such way as this could she make
known to Jasper Milvain how her father regarded him, which she felt it necessary
to do. Now his sisters would tell him, and henceforth there would be a clear
understanding on both sides. That state of things was painful to her, but it was
better than ambiguous relations.
    »Jasper is very sorry about it,« said Dora, glancing rapidly at Marian.
    »But his connection with Mr Fadge came about in such a natural way,« added
the eldest sister. »And it was impossible for him to refuse opportunities.«
    »Impossible; I know,« Marian replied earnestly. »Don't think that I wish to
justify my father. But I can understand him, and it must be very difficult for
you to do so. You can't know, as I do, how intensely he has suffered in these
wretched, ignoble quarrels. If only you will let me come here still, in the same
way, and still be as friendly to me. My home has never been a place to which I
could have invited friends with any comfort, even if I had had any to invite.
There were always reasons - but I can't speak of them.«
    »My dear Marian,« appealed Dora, »don't distress yourself so! Do believe
that nothing whatever has happened to change our feeling to
