"She must ever at least have been blameless, to judge by an air which,
even now, is more like that of a child than a matron."

"Yes; she has not much of the widow about her, poor soul! But her
education, except in music, has not been very carefully attended to; and
she knows about as much of the world as the Bishop of Autun (better known
as Prince Talleyrand) knows of the Bible. If she were not so simple, she
would be silly; but silliness is never simple,--always cunning; however,
there is some cunning in her keeping her past Cameronian Chronicles so
close. Perhaps I may know more about her in a short time, for I intend
going to C-----, where my uncle once lived, in order to see if I can
revive under the rose--since peers are only contraband
electioneerers--his old parliamentary influence in that city: and they
may tell me more there than I now know."

"Did the late lord marry at C-----?"

"No; in Devonshire. I do not even know if Mrs. Cameron ever was at
C-----."

"You must be curious to know who the father of your intended wife was?"

"Her father! No; I have no curiosity in that quarter. And, to tell you
the truth, I am much too busy about the Present to be raking into that
heap of rubbish we call the Past. I fancy that both your good
grandmother and that comely old curate of Brook-Green know everything
about Lady Vargrave; and, as they esteem her so much, I take it for
granted she is _sans tache_."