"The d---- she did," said the Dean. Mary almost jumped in her chair, she was so much startled by such a word from her father's mouth. "If he's fool enough to listen to that old cat, he'll make himself a miserable and a contemptible man. Did she say anything to him about this very man?" "She said something very unpleasant to me, and of course I told George." "Well?" "He was all that was kind. He declared that he had no objection to make to Captain De Baron at all. I am sure there was no reason why he should." "Tush!" exclaimed the Dean, as though any assurance or even any notice of the matter in that direction were quite unnecessary. "And there was an end of that?" "I think he is a little inclined to be--to be----" "To be what? You had better tell it all out, Mary." "Perhaps what you would call strict. He told me not to waltz any more the other day." "He's a fool," said the Dean angrily. "Oh no, papa; don't say that. Of course he has a right to think as he likes, and of course I am bound to do as he says." "He has no experience, no knowledge of the world. Perhaps one of the last things which a man learns is to understand innocence when he sees it." The word innocence was so pleasant to her that she put out her hand and touched his knee. "Take no notice of what that angry woman said to you. Above all, do not drop your acquaintance with this gentleman. You should be too proud to be influenced in any way by such scandal." "But if she were to speak to George?" "She will hardly dare. But if she does, that is no affair of yours. You can have nothing to do with it till he shall speak to you." "You would not tell him?" "No; I should not even think about it. She is below your notice. If it should be the case that she dares to speak to him, and that he should be weak enough to be moved by what such a creature can say to him, you will, I am sure, have dignity enough to hold your own with him. Tell him that you think too much of his honour as well of your own to make it necessary for him to trouble himself. But he will know that himself, and if he does speak to you, he will speak only in pity for her." All this he said slowly and seriously, looking as she had sometimes seen him look when preaching in the cathedral. And she believed him now as she always believed him then, and was in a great measure comforted.