as well as by education. My late lamented sister was the daughter of a
clergyman of the Church of England. I need hardly remind you that,
as such, she was a born lady. Under favoring circumstances, Isabel's
maternal grandfather might have been Archbishop of Canterbury, and have
taken precedence of the whole House of Peers, the Princes of the blood
Royal alone excepted. I am not prepared to say that my niece is equally
well connected on her father's side. My sister surprised--I will not add
shocked--us when she married a chemist. At the same time, a chemist
is not a tradesman. He is a gentleman at one end of the profession of
Medicine, and a titled physician is a gentleman at the other end. That
is all. In inviting Isabel to reside with her, Lady Lydiard, I repeat,
was bound to remember that she was associating herself with a young
gentlewoman. She has _not_ remembered this, which is one insult; and she
has suspected my niece of theft, which is another."

Miss Pink paused to take breath. Mr. Troy made a second attempt to get a
hearing.

"Will you kindly permit me, madam, to say a few words?"

"No!" said Miss Pink, asserting the most immovable obstinacy under
the blandest politeness of manner. "Your time, Mr. Troy, is really too
valuable! Not even your trained intellect can excuse conduct which is
manifestly _in_excusable on the face of it. Now you know my opinion of
Lady Lydiard, you will not be surprised to hear that I decline to trust
her Ladyship. She may, or she may not, cause the necessary inquiries
to be made for the vindication of my niece's character. In a matter so
serious as this--I may say, in a duty which I owe to the memories of
my sister and my parents--I will not leave the responsibility to Lady
Lydiard. I will take it on myself. Let me add that I am able to pay the