“She’s very beautiful,” I answered; while I reflected that though it was true, apparently, that Mark Ambient was mismated, it was also perceptible that his sister was perfidious. She told me that her brother and his wife had no other difference but this one, that she thought his writings immoral and his influence pernicious. It was a fixed idea; she was afraid of these things for the child. I answered that it was not a trifle--a woman’s regarding her husband’s mind as a well of corruption, and she looked quite struck with the novelty of my remark. “But there has n’t been any of the sort of trouble that there so often is among married people,” she said. “I suppose you can judge for yourself that Beatrice isn’t at all--well, whatever they call it when a woman misbehaves herself. And Mark does n’t make love to other people, either. I assure you he does n’t! All the same, of course, from her point of view, you know, she has a dread of my brother’s influence on the child--on the formation of his character, of his principles. It is as if it were a subtle poison, or a contagion, or something that would rub off on Dolcino when his father kisses him or holds him on his knee. If she could, she would prevent Mark from ever touching him. Every one knows it; visitors see it for themselves; so there is no harm in my telling you. Isn’t it excessively odd? It comes from Beatrice’s being so religious, and so tremendously moral, and all that and then, of course, we must n’t forget,” my companion added, unexpectedly, “that some of Mark’s ideas are--well, really--rather queer!”