to me slightly humorous � as one man of the world to another that was an eye it was likewise a profitable lesson i promptly laid it to heart and it is exclusively from the point of view of the man of the world that i propose to regard myself and my circumstances and my personal peculiarities in future so to begin with if you please from this time forth we put aside all question marriage in my case we don t make any more attempts to buy innocent and well bred young girls inviting them to my obvious in consideration of my little title and my money richard ceased to look at lady he looked away through the open window into the serene sky of the summer night a certain hunger in his expression not altogether pleasant to witness fortunately he continued with something between a laugh and a sneer there is a mighty army of women � always has been � who don t come under the head of innocent young girls though some of them have plenty of breeding of a kind they attach no superstitious importance to the marriage ceremony my position and money may obtain me in their direction lady ceased to require the cold support of the marble it is unnecessary for us to discuss that subject at least richard she said the young man turned his head again looking full at her and again the distance that divided her from him became to her cruelly apparent while his strength b ot in her a shrinking of fear i am sorry he replied but i can t agree with you there it is inevitable that we should differ in the future and that you should frequently i can t expect you to yourself from prejudice as i am already i am not sure i even wish that still whatever the future may bring forth of this my dear mother i am determined to make a clean breast a slip cup and lip so that you shall never have cause to charge me with lack of frankness or of attempt to deceive you yet at the moment the poor mother s heart cried out to be deceived if thereby it might be a little of suffering then a nobler spirit prevailing within her rallied her fortitude better he should be bound to her even by cynical of projected vice than not bound at all listening now she gained the right � a bitter enough right � to command a measure of his confidence in those still darker days which as she apprehended only too certainly lay ahead so she answered calmly � go on as you say we may differ in the future i may but i can be silent you are right it is better for us both that i should hear and once more the young man was compelled to yield her a admiration his tone softened somewhat i don t like to see you stand mother he said our conversation may be prolonged one never quite knows what may crop up you will be and to morrow when i am gone there will be things to do lady drew forward the chair from the end of the writing table her back was towards the lamp her face in shadow of this she was glad in a degree it lessened the strain the sweet night air coming in at the open fluttered the lace on her as with the touch of a light cool hand of this she was glad too it was refreshing and she grew exhausted and physically weak richard observed her not without solicitude i am afraid you are not well mother he said but shook her head smiling upon him with misty eyes and lips somewhat tremulous i am always well she replied only to night it has been given me to scale heights and sound opposing depths and i am a little overcome by perplexity and by surprise but what does that signify i shall have plenty of time � too much probably � in which to rest and range my ideas when � you are gone my dearest you must not be here alone oh no people will visit me no doubt animated by kindly wishes to lessen my solitude she answered still smiling remembrance of st s letter came to her mind could it be that the girl had some of what was in store for her and that this had inspired the slight over warmth of her of affection � would always be ready to should i ask her she said a sir richard all solicitude passed from richard s expression all softening from his tone by all means ask her that would cap the climax and round the irony of the situation to admiration indeed why inquired painfully impressed by the renewed bitterness of his manner if you re fond of her that is sufficient she and i have never been very s but that s a detail i shall be gone therefore pray have her or anybody else you happen to fancy so long as you do have you mustn t be here alone remains faithful through all chances and changes but i imagine even has sufficient social sense to perceive that may be a little out of place at this juncture at least i sincerely hope he ll perceive it for otherwise he will have to be made to do so � and that will be a nuisance what are you lady exclaimed by what strange and thoughts are you possessed to night i am learning to look at things as the average man of the world looks at them that s all he said we have been too refined you and i to be self critical with the consequence that we have allowed ourselves a considerable degree of latitude in many directions permanent residence here ranks among the fine fanciful of 