is, I take it, a mutual plight of faith, in good faith; that is, with
capacity on both sides to keep the engagement: between the man you know
I was in youth and a more than middle-aged woman crazy up to the edge of
the cliff--as Colney says half the world is, and she positively is when
her spite is roused. No, Fenellan, I have nothing on my conscience with
regard to the woman. She had wealth: I left her not one penny the worse
for--but she was not one to reckon it, I own. She could be generous,
was, with her money. If she had struck this blow--I know she thought of
it: or if she would strike it now, I could not only forgive her, I could
beg forgiveness.'

A sight of that extremity fetched prickles to his forehead.

'You've borne your part bravely, my friend.'

'I!' Mr. Radnor shrugged at mention of his personal burdens. 'Praise my
Nataly if you like! Made for one another, if ever two in this world!
You know us both, and do you doubt it? The sin would have been for us
two to meet and--but enough when I say, that I am she, she me, till death
and beyond it: that's my firm faith. Nataly teaches me the religion of
life, and you may learn what that is when you fall in love with a woman.
Eighteen-nineteen-twenty years!'

Tears fell from him, two drops. He blinked, bugled in his throat, eyed
his watch, and smiled: 'The finishing glass! We should have had to put
Colney to bed. Few men stand their wine. You and I are not lamed by it;
we can drink and do business: my first experience in the City was, that
the power to drink--keeping a sound head--conduces to the doing of
business.'