broke silence, qualifying her announcement of a probable second
marriage by assuring him that it would not take place for a long time
to come, when he would be living quite independently of her.

The boy thought the idea a very reasonable one, and asked if she had
chosen anybody? She hesitated; and he seemed to have a misgiving.
He hoped his stepfather would be a gentleman? he said.

'Not what you call a gentleman,' she answered timidly. 'He'll be
much as I was before I knew your father;' and by degrees she
acquainted him with the whole. The youth's face remained fixed for a
moment; then he flushed, leant on the table, and burst into
passionate tears.

His mother went up to him, kissed all of his face that she could get
at, and patted his back as if he were still the baby he once had
been, crying herself the while. When he had somewhat recovered from
his paroxysm he went hastily to his own room and fastened the door.

Parleyings were attempted through the keyhole, outside which she
waited and listened. It was long before he would reply, and when he
did it was to say sternly at her from within: 'I am ashamed of you!
It will ruin me! A miserable boor! a churl! a clown! It will
degrade me in the eyes of all the gentlemen of England!'

'Say no more--perhaps I am wrong! I will struggle against it!' she
cried miserably.

Before Randolph left her that summer a letter arrived from Sam to
inform her that he had been unexpectedly fortunate in obtaining the