‘Do forgive me,’ began Mrs. Damerel, in a pathetic falsetto. ‘I have been so upset, I felt obliged to seek advice immediately, and no one seemed so likely to be of help to me as you--a man of the world. Would you believe that a sister of that silly little Miss. French has just been here--a downright virago--declaring that the girl has been led astray, and that I am responsible for it? Can you imagine such impertinence? She has fibbed shockingly to the people at home--told them she was constantly here with me in the evenings, when she must have been--who knows where. It will teach me to meddle again with girls of that class.’ Mankelow stood with his hands behind him, and legs apart, regarding the speaker with a comically puzzled air. ‘My dear Mrs. Damerel,’--he had a thick, military sort of voice,--‘why in the world should this interpose between us and dinner? Afterwards, we might--’ ‘But I am really anxious about the silly little creature. It would be extremely disagreeable if my name got mixed up in a scandal of any kind. You remember my telling you that she didn’t belong exactly to the working-class. She has even a little property of her own; and I shouldn’t wonder if she has friends who might make a disturbance if her--her vagaries could be in any way connected with me and my circle. Something was mentioned about Brussels. She has been chattering about some one who wanted to take her to Brussels--’ The listener arched his eyebrows more and more. ‘What _can_ it matter to you?’ ‘To be sure, I have no acquaintance with any one who could do such things--’ ‘Why, of course not. And even if you had, I understand that the girl is long out of her teens--’ ‘Long since.’ ‘Then it’s her own affair--and that of the man who cares to purchase such amusement. By-the-bye, it happens rather oddly that I myself have to run over to Brussels on business; but I trust’--he laughed--‘that my years and my character--’ ‘Oh, Mr. Mankelow, absurd! It’s probably some commercial traveller, or man of that sort, don’t you think? The one thing I _do_ hope is, that, if anything like this happens, the girl will somehow make it clear to her friends that _I_ had no knowledge whatever of what was going on. But that can hardly be hoped, I fear!--’ Their eyes crossed; they stood for a moment perusing vacancy. ‘Yes, I think it might be hoped,’ said Mankelow airily. ‘She seemed to me a rather reckless sort of young person. It’s highly probable she will write letters which release every one but herself from responsibility. In fact’--he gazed at her with a cynical smile--‘my knowledge of human nature disposes me to assure you that she certainly will. She might even, I should say, write a letter to _you_--perhaps a cheeky sort of letter, which would at once set your mind at ease.’ ‘Oh, if you really take that view--’ ‘I do indeed. Don’t you think we might dismiss the matter, and dine?’ They did so.