I opened my eyes in astonishment. "Women," he continued, "have feeling, and that's more than men have." I could not conceive what he would be at. "You know, Miss Harriette, all about what has happened, and my crim. con. business, don't you, miss?" "Yes." "Could you have thought it?" "Oh yes!" "And yet, I am sure, Charles Bentinck is worse than I am." "In what way, pray?" "Why, a worse head," said Sir William, touching his forehead, "and I don't pretend to be clever myself." "Is that all? But I would not be so very demonstrative as to touch my forehead, if I were you." "That Charles Bentinck," said he, half angry, "is the greatest fool in the world; and in Paris we always used to laugh at him." "But," said I, "why did you suffer his lordship to be eternally at your house?" "Why, dear me!" answered Abdy, peevishly, "I told him in a letter I did not like it and I thought it wrong, and he told me it was no such thing." "And therefore," I remarked, "you suffered him to continue his visits as usual?" "Why, good gracious, what could I do! Charles Bentinck told me, upon his honour, he meant nothing wrong." "This man is really too good!" thought I, and then I affected the deepest commiseration of his mishap. "Why did she run away from you?" said I. "Why not, at least, have carried on the thing quietly?" "That's what I say," said Abdy. "Because," I continued, "had she remained with you sir, you would have always looked forward with hope to that period when age and ugliness should destroy all her power of making conquests." "Oh," said Abdy, clasping his hands, "if any real friend like you had heartened me up in this way at the time, I could have induced her to have returned to me! But then, Miss Wilson, they all said I should be laughed at and frightened me to death. It was very silly to be sure of me to mind them; for it is much better to be laughed at, than to be so dull and miserable as I am now." "Shall I make you a cup of tea, Sir William?" "Oh! Miss, you are so good! tea is very refreshing when one is in trouble." I hastened to my bell, to conceal the strong inclination I felt to laugh in his face, and ordered tea. "Green tea is the best, is it not, Miss?" said Sir William. "Oh, yes," answered I, "as green as a willow leaf: and in extreme cases like yours I am apt to recommend a little gunpowder." "Just as you please, Miss." I asked him, after he had swallowed three cups of tea, whether he did not feel himself a little revived. "Yes, Miss, I should soon get better here; but you know my house is such a very dull house and in such a very dull street too! Hill-street is, I think, the dullest street in all London, do you know, Miss Wilson." "True, Sir William! would not you like to go to Margate?" "Why I was thinking of travelling, for you know in Hill Street, there is her sofa just as she left." "Very nervous indeed," said I, interrupting him. "I would burn the sofa at all events." "And then there is her pianoforte."