 has his weaknesses.«
    »Oh, an excellent fellow! But weakness isn't the word. Why, I foresaw all
this from the very beginning. The first hour's talk I ever had with him was
enough to convince me that he'd never hold his own. But he really believed that
the future was clear before him; he imagined he'd go on getting more and more
for his books. An extraordinary thing that that girl had such faith in him!«
    They parted soon after this, and Milvain went homeward, musing upon what he
had heard. It was his purpose to spend the whole evening on some work which
pressed for completion, but he found an unusual difficulty in settling to it.
About eight o'clock he gave up the effort, arrayed himself in the costume of
black and white, and journeyed to Westbourne Park, where his destination was the
house of Mrs Edmund Yule. Of the servant who opened to him he inquired if Mrs
Yule was at home, and received an answer in the affirmative.
    »Any company with her?«
    »A lady - Mrs Carter.«
    »Then please to give my name, and ask if Mrs Yule can see me.«
    He was speedily conducted to the drawing-room, where he found the lady of
the house, her son, and Mrs Carter. For Mrs Reardon his eye sought in vain.
    »I'm so glad you have come,« said Mrs Yule, in a confidential tone. »I have
been wishing to see you. Of course, you know of our sad trouble?«
    »I have heard of it only to-day.«
    »From Mr Reardon himself?«
    »No; I haven't seen him.«
    »I do wish you had! We should have been so anxious to know how he impressed
you.«
    »How he impressed me?«
    »My mother has got hold of the notion,« put in John Yule, »that he's not
exactly compos mentis. I'll admit that he went on in a queer sort of way the
last time I saw him.«
    »And my husband thinks he is rather strange,« remarked Mrs Carter.
    »He has gone back to the hospital, I understand -«
    »To a new branch that has just been opened in the City Road,« replied Mrs
Yule. »And he's living in a dreadful place - one of the most shocking alleys in
the worst part of Islington. I should have gone to see him, but I
