"The pity of it!" he murmured, with a soft intonation of profound sorrow. "The child's a pearl. Let her be happy! Is the beauty of it nothing to you?" "Yes, it's much--and your love for her is much." He paused a moment. "And perhaps I should be overbold to speak against that other love of yours--now. Maybe it lies beyond the jurisdiction committed to us here on earth." Jenny was, I fear, entirely devoted to earth and, at that moment, to arranging her own bit of earth as she wanted to have it. She gave him no thanks for what was, from him, a very considerable concession. Rather she fastened on his softer mood as affording her an opportunity. "Then you oughtn't to be against me," she urged. "I'm not against you. This is not my ground--not my business." "You might even help me." He looked doubtful at that. "Simply in one way. There's one little thing you can do easily, though it's difficult for me. For all the rest, I leave you to do anything or nothing, just as you think proper." "What's the one little thing?" he asked. "Bring Lord Fillingford and Margaret together. It's very easy--except for me--and it commits you to nothing. Give her her chance. Anyhow, none of the trouble's her fault, is it?" "There doesn't seem much harm in that." "Give him no hint of what I've said. It would be so much better if the idea could come from himself." "Impossible!" he cried. "I don't know," she said thoughtfully. "He seems to be very frightened. How about some idea of--the lesser evil? He'd still be shocked--but his mind might be a little prepared." "You're altogether too--well, shall I say diplomatic?--for me." "Come, come," I interposed, "don't do the Church injustice!" "Let's go out," said Jenny. "Wait a minute--I'll get a hat, and join you on the terrace. I expect Margaret and Amyas are still there." She walked out of the room with a light buoyant tread. Alison turned to me with a bewildered gesture of his arms, yet with a reluctant smile on his face. "What am I to work on? I don't believe the woman has any conception of what sin means!" "She has a considerable conception of the consequences of her actions." "My dear fellow, as if that was at all the same thing! And what's her new game? What's she taking me on the terrace for?" "To have a cup of tea, I suppose. It's nearly half-past five." "I'll never give her credit for being as simple as that!" He was disapproving, but good-natured--and altogether occupied with Jenny in his mind. "I shall never get hold of her--I once thought I should. A pagan--a mere pagan!" He paused again and added with a reluctant admiration, "A splendid pagan!" "There are fifty roads to town--and rather more to heaven," I quoted. "Who said that?" "William Mackworth Praed--and you ought to have known it." "I daresay he knew the roads to town, Austin." "In both cases the criticism is obvious--much depends on where you start from."