“Sweet Providence, what a coming down! What a thunderbolt to the whole family! Arrested at the altar upon a charge of——! Was such a thing ever heard of!” exclaimed the Honorable Mrs. Howard Kennaugh. “Hush-sh! my dearest love; pray do not specify the offense in the presence of my daughters—the dear girls are so unsophisticated—their minds are so pu-err, I am perhaps just a little prudish in speaking before them,” cooed Lady Bannerman. “What a crushing blow to Sir Parke’s pride,” said Lady Mary Monson. “What a shock to Montressor,” drawled Mrs. Bute Trevor. “But what a life of deception that creature must have led, to have deceived her parents and her betrothed so effectually,” said Mrs. Howard Kennaugh. “And what could she have _expected_ other than, sooner or later, just such a denouement as the present?” inquired Lady Monson. “Oh, you see, my dear, the fellow was in a foreign prison; she never expected him to get free; and when he returned so very inopportunely, why she affected to have believed him dead,” explained Lady Bannerman. “Oh, the unprincipled wretch! What a happy thing for you and your sweet daughters, my dear Lady Bannerman, that you were never on visiting terms with the family at the Hall, and will not have the awkwardness of breaking with them as some of us shall,” said Mrs. Bute Trevor. “A very happy circumstance, indeed, I assure you; I esteem it, madam,” returned her deceitful ladyship, who, even at that darkest moment, would have given the largest diamond in her parure to be placed on the dinner list of Lady Morelle, and deemed the honor cheaply purchased. “They say that Miss Morelle, Madame L’Orient, or Lady Montressor, whichever she may properly be named, for really one does scarcely know how to choose among her various _aliases_, has been cast off by her parents. What do you think of it, Mrs. Kennaugh?” asked Mrs. Bute Trevor. “Oh, dear, I think it no wonder! she had deceived them so deeply, and shocked them so dreadfully! If they could only cast off the cleaving dishonor with the daughter, it were better.” “Ah, but that will _cling_; I wonder if they will be visited by any one?” suggested Lady Monson. “Really, it is impossible to say. As far as our family are concerned, if we had ever been on visiting terms with them, it would be out of the question for us to continue an acquaintance with a set so seriously compromised,” said Lady Bannerman. “Gracious Heaven, only to reflect upon it! One can scarcely realize such horrors,” said Mrs. Howard Kennaugh. “When does the trial come on?” inquired Mrs. Bute Trevor. “As soon as the Easter Assizes are open at Exeter. The case will come up before the new judge, Sir James Allan Parke.” “Sir James Allan Parke, my dear? And he is the new judge! Why, is he not a relative of Sir Parke Morelle? Maternal uncle, or cousin, or something of the sort? It will be a strange beginning to have to try his own relative, will it not?”