'This woman always deals in gush and superlatives,' said Mrs. Hamblin to herself as she glanced over the note; and she contented herself by writing a line to say that she would call at Fairfax-gardens in the course of her afternoon's drive. 'It cannot possibly be,' she thought, 'that Mr. Chadwick can have failed in business; but absolute ruin is the only thing that ought to have called forth such a demonstration.' When Mrs. Hamblin arrived at Fairfax-gardens, she found Mrs. Chadwick eagerly expecting her. They talked on light topics until tea--which had been ordered on the visitor's arrival--was served, and then, as soon as the servant had closed the door behind him, Mrs. Chadwick broached the important subject. 'It is quite too kind of you, my dear friend,' said she--for she had quick eyes and ears, and readily picked up both the manner and the jargon of those whom she thought proper to imitate--'it is quite too kind of you to come here and to help me in the midst of my horrible perplexity. There is no one besides you in the world whom I could consult, for Mr. Chadwick happens to be away in the North, and I know also that the view he would take of the matter would not entirely coincide with mine, and it is no use having people to advise you when your whole time must be spent in combating their opinion.' 'What is this momentous question, my dear Mrs. Chadwick, which seems to have given you so much trouble?' said Mrs. Hamblin, with an appearance of great interest. 'I shall be delighted to give you any advice, though I can hardly promise that it shall be in accordance with what you wish; but at all events it shall be honest and straightforward. Now what is it that has set you so completely _bouleversée_?' 'I will tell you frankly,' said Mrs. Chadwick; 'it is the conduct of my sister Eleanor. You know her pretty well, though you have seen but little of her; for she avoids all my friends, and seems to take refuge in a narrow circle of her own. You have been able to judge what a home that girl has here, and how perfectly devoted I am to her.' As Mrs. Chadwick stopped at this point Mrs. Hamblin bowed, and murmured something in acquiescence. 'You would think that in return for such advantages she would do her best to make herself amiable and agreeable to me at all events, even though she chose to decline the acquaintance of my friends. Nothing of the sort; for the last few months her conduct has been most extraordinary; and though I have put up with a great deal, I am not prepared to bear it any longer now that she has completely set me at defiance.' 'How has she done that?' asked Mrs. Hamblin. 'By thwarting a project which she knew I particularly wished carried out, and in which, Heaven knows, I was animated by no selfish feeling, as it would have been entirely for Eleanor's own benefit.' 'Indeed,' said Mrs. Hamblin, whose interest materially increased as she heard this last sentence; 'and what may this project have been?'