'Why, to be sure, ma'am,' replied Mary, a little alarmed--'every body says you are a kept lady, and so I made no bones of saying so; but I am sure if so be you are not so, why I ax pardon.' 'But what do you mean by the term kept lady?' 'Why, a lady who lives with a man without being married to him, I take it; and that I take to be your case, ain't it, I pray?' Adeline blushed and was silent:--it certainly was her case. However, she took courage and went on. 'But mistresses, or kept ladies in general, are women of bad character, and would live with any man; but I never loved, nor ever shall love, any man but Mr Glenmurray. I look on myself as his wife in the sight of God; nor will I quit him till death shall separate us.' 'Then if so be that you don't want to change, I think you might as well be married to him.' Adeline was again silent for a moment, but continued-- 'Mr Glenmurray would marry me to-morrow, if I chose.' 'Indeed! Well, if master is inclined to make an honest woman of you, you had better take him at his word, I think.' 'Gracious heaven!' cried Adeline, 'what an expression! Why will you persist to confound me with those deluded women who are victims of their own weakness?' 'As to that,' replied Mary, 'you talk too fine for me; but a fact is a fact--are you or are you not my master's wife?' 'I am not.' 'Why then you are his mistress, and a kept lady to all intents and purposes: so what signifies argufying the matter? I lived with a kept madam before; and she was as good as you, for aught I know.' Adeline, shocked and disappointed, told her she might leave the room. 'I am going,' pertly answered Mary, 'and to seek for a place; but I must beg that you will not own you are no better than you should be, when a lady comes to ask my character; for then perhaps I should not get any one to take me. I shall call you Mrs Glenmurray.' 'But I shall not call _myself_ so,' replied Adeline. 'I will not say what is not true, on any account.' 'There now, there's spite! and yet you pretend to call yourself a gentlewoman, and to be better than other kept ladies! Why, you are not worthy to tie the shoestrings of my last mistress--she did not mind telling a lie rather than lose a poor servant a place; and she called herself a married woman rather than hurt me.' 'Neither she nor you, then,' replied Adeline gravely, 'were sensible of what great importance a strict adherence to veracity is, to the interests of society. I am;--and for the sake of mankind I will always tell the truth.' 'You had better tell one innocent lie for mine,' replied the girl pertly. 'I dare to say the world will neither know nor care anything about it: and I can tell you I shall expect you will.' So saying she shut the door with violence, leaving Adeline mournfully musing on the distress attending on her situation, and even disposed to question the propriety of remaining in it.