everything. Besides, though I respect her still (for she was not an
atom to blame), I haven't any shadow of love for her. In my mind she
exists as one of those women you think well of, but find
uninteresting. It would be purely with the idea of putting wrong
right that I should hunt her up, and propose to do it off-hand.'

'You don't think of it seriously?' said his surprised friend.

'I sometimes think that I would, if it were practicable; simply, as I
say, to recover my sense of being a man of honour.'

'I wish you luck in the enterprise,' said Doctor Bindon. 'You'll
soon be out of that chair, and then you can put your impulse to the
test. But--after twenty years of silence--I should say, don't!'



CHAPTER II



The doctor's advice remained counterpoised, in Millborne's mind, by
the aforesaid mood of seriousness and sense of principle,
approximating often to religious sentiment, which had been evolving
itself in his breast for months, and even years.

The feeling, however, had no immediate effect upon Mr. Millborne's
actions. He soon got over his trifling illness, and was vexed with
himself for having, in a moment of impulse, confided such a case of
conscience to anybody.