fantastic and impossible to hold for an instant before a steady
gaze. I have no wish to justify myself when I write that I
preferred to keep my eyes averted, enjoying perhaps just such a
measure of vision as would enter at a corner of them. This may or
may not have been immoral under the circumstances--the event did not
prove it so--but for urgent private reasons I could not be the
person to destroy the idyll, if indeed its destruction were
possible, that flourished there in the corner of my eye. Besides,
had not I myself planted and watered it? But it was foolish to
expect other people, people who are forever on the lookout for
trousseaux and wedding-bells, and who considered these two as mere
man and maid, and had no sight of them as engaging young spirits in
happy conjunction--it was foolish to expect such people to show
equal consideration. Christmas was barely over before the lady with
whom Miss Harris was staying found it her duty to communicate to
Edward Harris the fact that dear Dora's charming friendship--she was
sure it was nothing more--with the young artist--Mrs. Poulton
believed Mr. Harris would understand who was meant--was exciting a
good deal of comment in the station, and WOULD dear Mr. Harris
please write to Dora himself, as Mrs. Poulton was beginning to feel
so responsible?

I saw the letter; Harris showed it to me when he sat down to
breakfast with the long face of a man in a domestic difficulty, and
we settled together whom we should ask to put his daughter up in
Calcutta. It should be the wife of a man in his own department of
course; it is to one's Deputy Secretary that one looks for succour
at times like this; and naturally one never looks in vain. Mrs.
Symons would be delighted. I conjured up Dora's rage on receipt of
the telegram. She loathed the Symonses.