Walter allowed it was not immaculate in respect of envy and evil
speaking.

"You have so much opportunity for revenge, you see!" said Lady Tremaine;
"and such a coat of darkness for protection! With a few strokes of the
pen a man may ruin his rival!"

"Scarcely that!" returned Walter. "If a book be a good book, the worst
of us can not do it much harm; nor do I believe there are more than a
few in the profession who would condescend to give a false opinion upon
the work of a rival; though doubtless personal feeling may pervert the
judgment."

"That, of course," returned the lady, "is but human! You can not deny,
however, that authors occasionally make furious assaults on each other!"

"Authors ought not to be reviewers," replied Walter. "I fancy most
reviewers avoid the work of an acquaintance even, not to say a friend or
enemy."

The door opened, and what seemed to Walter as lovely a face as could
ever have dawned on the world, peeped in, and would have withdrawn.

"Lufa," said Lady Tremaine, "you need not go away. Mr. Colman and I have
no secrets. Come and be introduced to him."

She entered--a small, pale creature, below the middle height, with the
daintiest figure, and child-like eyes of dark blue, very clear,
and--must I say it?--for the occasion "worn" wide. Her hair was brown,