the other, and much older, is the hero of Apuleius. Bottom did not know of his ass's head; his elder brother in misfortune was only too conscious of the change that had been wrought in him. Some thought of this was whimsically passing through the brain of Fielding. At least,' he said, 'I am like the fellow in Apuleius; if I am an ass, I know it.'

CHAPTER XX.

SIR WILBERFORCE'S INTERVENTION.

WHEN the excitement of her discussion with Fielding was over, and she had formally proclaimed herself the protectress of Paulina against the world, Gabrielle began to feel a little dispirited and blank. She was convinced that she had been in the right, and that she could not have acted otherwise; but she was sorry to have had to act in any way that might offend Fielding. She became more and more sorry for it as, during the course of the next day or two, Paulina kept insinuating explanations of Fielding's dislike of her in a manner which was not clear enough to challenge any comment, and which Gabrielle felt she had better decline to encourage by any manner of notice. She felt herself more inclined every hour to shrink from close contact with Paulina. The house seemed to have been made unwholesome by the strange woman's presence. Gabrielle lay awake at nights thinking with a strong sense of repugnance that Paulina was sleeping not very far off.

Fielding she did not expect to see soon again. She could not even desire to see him as long as Paulina remained in the house. It was a great sacrifice, she thought, to have displeased him for the sake of Paulina. Yet she could not bring herself to believe that it was any part of her duty to accept unproved accusations against this poor outcast of respectability, or to turn Paulina out of doors as a sacrifice to the proprieties and the conventionalities of the world. But like all women, even the strongest and bravest, she felt it a terrible trial to have to stand up alone against the opinions of her little world. She could not but remember too that, of all men she had ever met, Fielding seemed the least likely to be governed by any servile regard for the mere conventionalities of society.

It was a great relief to her when one morning she saw Sir Wilberforce ride up to her gate. He looked so stout and strong, so healthy and rosy, as he checked his horse and was preparing to dismount, that his very presence seemed an antidote against morbid thoughts and fearsome misgivings. She remembered at that moment a saying of Lady Honeybell's- Eh, my dear, your

woman's-rights theory and your woman's independence are all very well for fair weather; but when anything is going wrong, it's a great comfort to have a man in the house to advise with.' Sir Wilberforce seemed to be just the sort of man a woman would like to have in the house under any untoward circumstances requiring firm counsel. Gabrielle found herself almost admiring him as she saw him get off his horse; and she went promptly to her drawing-room to welcome him. If he had been at all a vain man, he might, with such purposes as he had communicated to his brother, have drawn cheering auguries from the evident pleasure with which Gabrielle received him.

'Mrs. Vanthorpe, can you tell me what has become of my brother Clarkson? he hasn't turned up now for two days.'

Gabrielle felt confused somehow, she could not tell why. Perhaps she wondered why Sir Wilberforce should have asked her anything about his brother.

'He sometimes goes off to the place he used to live in-the place where you saw him first,' Sir Wilberforce explained; but he always came back the next morning. Don't know why he ever went there, I'm sure; said it kept up his title to independence, or something of the kind; queer fellow, Clarkson; always was; you understand his ways as well as I do, Mrs. Vanthorpe, I dare say. But this time he hasn't come back, and I haven't heard anything about him, and I ask you, Mrs. Vanthorpe, because the last time I saw him he told me he was going to call on you-two days ago.'

But, Sir Wilberforce, you don't think, I hope, that we have been murdering him secretly, Miss Elvin and I?'

'No, no, I can assure you; nothing of the kind; never thought of such a thing, give you my honour. But did he call on you that day?

"Yes, he was here for a short time,' Gabrielle said, remembering with a sort of compunction that they had had something like a quarrel; and I am afraid we did not part the very best of friends, Sir Wilberforce; but that wouldn't account for his not going back to your house, would it?'

'You didn't part the best of friends? how was that, I should like to know. I hope it wasn't Clarkson's fault. I don't think it could have been, Mrs. Vanthorpe, if you'll pardon me for saying so much; because, don't you know, Clarkson thinks the world and all of you. You should hear him talk.'

'It was not his fault altogether, Sir Wilberforce; but I don't think it was all my fault either.'

'Tell us all about it,' Sir Wilberforce said, with a goodhumoured bluntness, drawing a seat close to her and bestowing

himself to listen, as if her consenting to tell him all about it were a mere matter of course.

Gabrielle, now sadly in want of a confidant, was only too glad to get one of Sir Wilberforce's mature years. She had been making up her mind to send for Major Leven; she had almost thought of going to Mrs. Leven and appealing to her feelings. Now she did not attempt to resist Sir Wilberforce's frank appeal; and she told him the whole story, beginning pretty well at the beginning, so far as she knew it. She told him what Clarkson had advised her to do with Paulina, and wound up by asking simply, 'Now, Sir Wilberforce, you know it all-and what am I to do with this poor woman?'

Sir Wilberforce thought the matter gravely over, and shook his head more than once.

'I fancy Clarkson was right, you know,' he said at last; 'he must have known a deal more about her than you or I, Mrs. Vanthorpe; and he isn't an unkindly fellow, Clarkson.'

'But he says she really is what she professes to be--she really is my brother's widow, Sir Wilberforce.'

'Just so, just so; exactly; that may be all right enough; but that isn't the point so far as you are concerned, don't you see?'

'I don't see it by any means; I think it is the very point, Sir Wilberforce. I am afraid you are just as bad as he. How can you both be so unkind to this

poor woman?'

Why, you see, it's partly, I dare say, because we both think more of you than we do of her. She may have been your brother's wife and yet she mayn't be by any means the sort of person for you to have in your house. Young fellows when they go abroad to these places, you know, are apt to pick up with such extraordinary kind of women, and marry them, by Jove, before they know where they are, or what they are doing. I say, wasn't it lucky Clarkson didn't fall in love with any woman of that sort? If he did, he's just the man to marry her, I fancy.'

'But about this poor creature-you see we are only conjecturing all these dreadful things, Sir Wilberforce.'

'I dare say Clarkson knew a good deal more than he said; he couldn't well tell you, you know. Why doesn't this person go to the mother of her husband? there would be the place for hershe hasn't any claim on you.'

She says so; she is very honest,' pleaded Gabrielle.

Then, why does she come to you? why doesn't she go to the other lady?'

6

Well, perhaps because she fancied I might be more sympathetic; or she heard of me first.'

'Not a bit of it; excuse me, I don't mean to say you are not sympathetic; but that isn't her reason for settling down on you. It's because there is no man here to deal with. Let her go to Major Leven; let him tackle her.'

Gabrielle could not help thinking that Major Leven would be about as easily talked over as anybody in the world.

'I was going to write to Major Leven,' she said; I am anxious that he should come and see this poor woman.'

'I'll see her,' Sir Wilberforce said, rising from his chair with an air of business-like promptitude. I understand all that sort of thing; I've been a magistrate since before you were born, I dare say. Where is she? I'll go to her.'

'I will ask her to come, if you wish-'

'No, no, my dear lady; you mustn't be present, if you please. I should much rather talk to her myself. Tell your servant to show me to where she is. I'll soon get to know all about the whole affair.'

Sir Wilberforce was evidently about to enter on a formal examination of Paulina, after the regular fashion of a county justice of the peace interrogating some new tramp or alien beggar who has ventured within his jurisdiction.

Gabrielle could not repress a smile.

'But I don't think she would like to be taken in that way, Sir Wilberforce. It is very kind of you to try to relieve me of some trouble; but would it be fair to my brother's widow to treat her as if she were a person of suspicious character? She is here as a guest and not as a prisoner.'

Sir Wilberforce shook his head and sat down again.

'Where do you keep your property,' he asked-jewels and things-plate and things? plate at the bank?'

6

Everything of that kind that I have is in this house-not much, Sir Wilberforce,' said Gabrielle, smiling and likewise blushing. His good-humoured, brusque, dictatorial way was not to be resisted, even although Gabrielle began to think that he was looking on her as a fool.

• Never do, never do,' Sir Wilberforce went on. 'Ridiculous to have a place like this with only women. Coachman even-does he sleep on the premises?'

'Mr. Bramble does; he is my housekeeper's husband, Sir Wilberforce.'

'That old man I saw the other day? Well, he would not be much good, I fancy.'

'But, Sir Wilberforce, really it isn't a case of standing siege. The house isn't going to be attacked by the forty thieves-and

even if it were, I don't see how poor Paulina's being here would be likely to make things any the worse. She's not in league with the captain of the band. This house is not a grange.'

'Not a what?' Sir Wilberforce asked. He was not strong on Shakespeare.

'Well, I mean it isn't like a lonely country house. Besides, this poor Paulina-what on earth is there about her that makes you all go wild with suspicion? you are as bad as your brother.' "You don't know much about this sort of people; and you are so awfully good-natured, you know. Well, do you think I mayn't this person and talk with her a little ?'

see

'I shouldn't like to have her shown off like a wild animal, Sir Wilberforce; or to have her treated as if she were a prisoner. Do please to understand that she is my sister-in-law, who has been guilty of no greater crime, so far as I know, than that of coming to ask me to help her in making herself known to her husband's

mother.'

'Well, look here; the best thing you can do is to comply with her wish at once. Turn her over on Major Leven and his wife; they will understand how to deal with her much better than you Tell you what, Mrs. Vanthorpe : if you will allow me, I will call on Major Leven at once. I'll go over there now, and tell him all about the whole affair, and let him come and see this woman. It really is his business much more than yours, don't you know.'

can.

Gabrielle could not dispute this fact. Sir Wilberforce's offer relieved her of a difficulty. She was really growing much distressed by the presence of Paulina. There was no talk of Paulina's returning to her lodgings, or sending for her child. When Gabrielle asked her about the boy she only evaded any answer, or laughed and assured her the boy was all right, and that he was to be brought over to her the very next day, and that he should stay there if Gabrielle liked him. But the boy did not make his appearance all the same, and Gabrielle could not but remember Fielding's urgent advice to her to press for some information about the child. In other ways too the companionship of Paulina became distressing. She talked with the maids a great deal, and asked them a variety of questions and made odd jokes with them. She rang her bell incessantly, and sometimes apparently for no other purpose than to have a chat with any of the servants; unless, indeed, when she wanted a little dry sherry or some soda-water with a dash of brandy. She scowled so fiercely at Miss Elvin more than once that that young lady declared herself in bodily fear of Paulina, and protested that Paulina would certainly murder some one before she left the house.