"Oh, come, now!" I retorted. "Do you mean to say that you haven't
thought how very much it would simplify the situation if--"

"Of course I have! And that is the wicked part of it. It's that that is
wearing me out. It's perfectly hideous!"

"Well, fortunately we're not actively concerned in the affair, and we
needn't take any measures in regard to it. We are mere spectators, and
as I see it the situation is not only inevitable for Mrs. Bentley, but
it has a sort of heroic propriety for Miss Bentley."

"And Glendenning?"

"Oh, Glendenning isn't provided for in my scheme."

"Then I can tell you that your scheme, Basil, is worse than worthless."

"I didn't brag of it, my dear," I said, meekly enough. "I'm sorry for
him, but I can't help him. He must provide for himself out of his
religion."


IX.

It was, indeed, a trying summer for our emotions, torn as we were
between our pity for Mrs. Bentley and our compassion for her daughter.
We had no repose, except when we centred our sympathies upon
Glendenning, whom we could yearn over in tender regret without doing any
one else wrong, or even criticising another. He was our great stay in