in not mentioning it he was obliged to leave his friend under the
impression that they were strangers still.

"She is staying in this hotel, and is sitting over there. But of course
you know her by sight," said Armine.

"Oh, yes, I have seen her about."

"I think you will like her, if you can clear your mind of any prejudices
you may have formed against her."

"Why should I be prejudiced against Mrs. Chepstow?"

"People are. No one has a good word for her. Both women and men speak
ill of her."

From the tone of Armine's voice Meyer Isaacson knew that this fact had
prejudiced him in Mrs. Chepstow's favour. There are some men who are
born to defend lost causes, who instinctively turn towards those from
whom others are ostentatiously turning away, moved by some secret
chivalry which blinds their reason, or by a passion of simple human pity
that dominates their hearts and casts a shadow over the brightness of
their intellects. Of these men Nigel Armine was one, and Meyer Isaacson
knew it. He was not much surprised, therefore, when Armine continued:

"They see only the surface of things, and judge by what they see. I
suppose one ought not to condemn them. But sometimes it's--it's devilish
difficult not to condemn cruelty, especially when the cruelty is
directed against a woman. Only to-night Mrs. Derringham--and you say
she's a good sort of woman--"