"The poor child," she said. "Roger or Letty?" "Oh, both; but, of course, I was thinking of my own." "Mrs. Lewis, do you believe he's guilty?" "No, my dear--nor innocent. I don't believe anything. I simply don't know. When you get to be my age, Nan, you will understand that anything is possible; the wicked do the most splendid things at times, and the virtuous do the most awful. I don't know whether Roger did this or not. He may have. It may even have been the right thing to do, although poison--well, I'm surprised Roger descended to that." With this point of view Nan had some sympathy, although she felt obliged to protest a little. "You said he was the finest man you had ever known." "I thought so--I think so still--but what does one know about such people? An utterly different class, a different background. I'm as good a democrat as anybody, but there is something in tradition. Oh, I see you don't know. Well, the father was a plumber. Yes, my dear, little as you might think it, that ruffled marquise downstairs is the widow of a plumber. How do we know what people like that will do or not do when their passions are roused? It nearly killed me to have Letitia marry him." "I thought you liked the marriage, Mrs. Lewis." "That's where I blame myself, Nan. I let it get out of my control. I hesitated. I admired the man. He had plenty of money; and of course the mother was delighted to get such a wife for her son, and made it all too terribly easy. And then he was mad about Letty." "Wasn't she mad about him too?" Mrs. Lewis shook her head. "Not at first; but he was always there--always writing and coming. I don't suppose I ever came into the flat in those days without finding a message that Letty was to call--whatever his number was--as soon as she came in. He's a determined man and he meant to get her." "She is tremendously in love with him now." Mrs. Lewis sighed. "Ah, yes, now, poor child--of course. Don't betray me, Nan. Don't let those two downstairs know that I have a doubt. She's a sweet creature--the plumber's widow--though to me irritating; and she wouldn't doubt anyone in the world, let alone her darling son; and, of course, Letitia does not think it possible that her husband can have killed a man, especially for the sake of another woman." "Have you ever heard a suspicion that there was another woman?" Nan asked. "No; but then I shouldn't be likely to. We three women are the last people in the world to hear it, even if it were notorious." Nan was obliged to admit the truth of this; and presently Mrs. Lewis, fearing that her absence might appear unfriendly, decided to go back to the sitting room.