"But of course," said Charles, more freely, and getting a little angry, "if you tell her that when a fellow's once down he's always down, she'll give me the sack. And that's what all you women do think, specially the religious ones. You think yourselves so much better than other people!" "No, Charles, we don't," said another voice; and Una, who had come into the room while he was speaking, came forward, and stood near him, her slight swaying figure leaning against the table, and her large melancholy eyes fixed on his face. "Indeed we don't think that. We know--religion--will help every one." "Hallo!" said Charles, "little Una talking goody! What? Do you think I shall turn pious?" "I think," said Una, "that God will help you just as much as He helps me. And, indeed, we don't despise you." "Oh, Una!" said Charles, in an odd, simple voice, "He'll punish me. Why, I never said my prayers since I went to school. But I should go to church, if my wife wanted me to, and I'd rather she was strict. You can tell little Carrie so, Una. And look here--a man don't mean anything, you know, if a word slips out ladies aren't accustomed to, specially after dinner. Tell her so--there's a good girl. You mean to say a kind thing." What Una might have answered was interrupted by the entrance of Lord Haredale, who called his son away, rather curtly, and Amethyst broke out-- "Una! How can you. How can any one like _that_ repent? Why, I don't believe that he has left himself all his senses!" "I am so sorry for him," said Una. "I cannot be, when I think of his wanting a good girl to marry him!" "But, Amethyst, he might be changed. You believe that?" "Well, yes--in a way, of course, I believe it. But people after all are what they have made themselves. He can't repent, so as to be much good, in this world, at any rate." Amethyst spoke harshly and recklessly. There was something in Charles's half-ruffianly, half-foolish manner, that revolted her past any sense of pity for him, and she was in no mood for toleration. She had no great inward impulse to set against the force of circumstances, and to be driven by necessity is a very different thing from being urged forward by a force within. There was nothing for it but to marry Sir Richard Grattan, she had scarcely a choice left. She believed that she should always be mistress enough of herself to play her part with success; and interests, such as her friendship with Mr Carisbrooke, who happily did not want to marry her, might keep her spirit alive. Yes, she was acting rightly, and yet she felt it utterly impossible to ask for the help of which Una had spoken. Still in this humour on the next morning, while she had so far managed to avoid the actual, final "Yes" to Sir Richard's suit, she heard Sylvester's announcement and request, which she answered with a certain sense of defiance both of herself and of him.