reached, and she herself gave you an opportunity to sever your
relations, and nobody need have been wiser--and she'd have had all
the blame--and it's only what she's accustomed to--you--you! you,
James North!--you must nonsensically go, and, by this extravagant
piece of idiocy and sentimental tomfoolery, let everybody see how
serious the whole affair was, and how deep it hurt you! and here in
this awful place, alone--where you're half drowned to get to it and
are willing to be wholly drowned to get away! Oh, don't talk to
me! I won't hear it--it's just too idiotic for anything!"

The subject of this outburst neither spoke nor moved a single
muscle.

"Your aunt, Mr. North, speaks excitedly," said the elder gentleman;
"yet I think she does not overestimate the unfortunate position in
which your odd fancy places you. I know nothing of the reasons
that have impelled you to this step; I only know that the popular
opinion is that the cause is utterly inadequate. You are still
young, with a future before you. I need not say how your present
conduct may imperil that. If you expected to achieve any good--
even to your own satisfaction--but this conduct--"

"Yes--if there was anything to be gained by it!" broke in Mrs.
North.

"If you ever thought she'd come back!--but that kind of woman
don't. They must have change. Why"--began Dick suddenly, and as
suddenly lying down again.

"Is this all you have come to say?" asked James North, after a