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butcher； 〃and what do you think he did？ He crossed the road over
to my shop； and bought a bit of meat fit for a Christian。 Very
well。 He says good…morning； and crosses back again； and； on the
word of a man； down he goes on his knees on the wet doorstep； and
out he takes his knife； and cuts up the meat； and gives it to the
dog。 Meat； I tell you again； fit for a Christian！ I'm not a hard
man； ma'am；〃 concluded the butcher； addressing the cook； 〃but
meat's meat； and it will serve your master's friend right if he
lives to want it。〃
With those old unforgotten sympathies of the old unforgotten time
to keep him company on his lonely road； he had left the town
behind him； and had been lost to view in the misty rain。 The
grocer and the butcher had seen the last of him； and had judged a
great nature； as all natures _are_ judged from the grocer and the
butcher point of view。
THE END OF THE SECOND BOOK。
BOOK THE THIRD。
CHAPTER I。
MRS。 MILROY。
Two days after Midwinter's departure from Thorpe Ambrose； Mrs。
Milroy； having completed her morning toilet； and having dismissed
her nurse； rang the bell again five minutes afterward； and on the
woman's re…appearance asked impatiently if the post had come in
〃Post？〃 echoed the nurse。 〃Haven't you got your watch？ Don't you
know that it's a good half…hour too soon to ask for your
letters？〃 She spoke with the confident insolence of a servant
long accustomed to presume on her mistress's weakness and her
mistress's necessities。 Mrs。 Milroy； on her side； appeared to be
well used to her nurses manner； she gave her orders composedly；
without noticing it。
〃When the postman does come；〃 she said； 〃see him yourself。 I am
expecting a letter which I ought to have had two days since。 I
don't understand it。 I'm beginning to suspect the servants。〃
The nurse smiled contemptuously。 〃Whom will you suspect next？〃
she asked。 〃There！ don't put yourself out。 I'll answer the
gate…bell this morning； and we'll see if I can't bring you a
letter when the postman comes。〃 Saying those words； with the tone
and manner of a woman who is quieting a fractious child； the
nurse； without waiting to be dismissed； left the room。
Mrs。 Milroy turned slowly and wearily on her bed； when she was
left by herself again； and let the light from the window fall on
her face。 It was the face of a woman who had once been handsome；
and who was still； so far as years went； in the prime of her
life。 Long…continued suffering of body and long…continued
irritation of mind had worn her awayin the roughly expressive
popular phraseto skin and bone。 The utter wreck of her beauty
was made a wreck horrible to behold； by her desperate efforts to
conceal the sight of it from her own eyes； from the eyes of her
husband and her child； from the eyes even of the doctor who
attended her； and whose business it was to penetrate to the
truth。 Her head； from which the greater part of the hair had
fallen off； would have been less shocking to see than the
hideously youthful wig by which she tried to hide the loss。 No
deterioration of her complexion； no wrinkling of her skin； could
have been so dreadful to look at as the rouge that lay thick on
her cheeks； and the white enamel plastered on her forehead。 The
delicate lace； and the bright trimming on her dressing…gown； the
ribbons in her cap； and the rings on her bony fingers； all
intended to draw the eye away from the change that had passed
over her； directed the eye to it； on the contrary； emphasized it；
made it by sheer force of contrast more hopeless and more
horrible than it really was。 An illustrated book of the fashions；
in which women were represented exhibiting their finery by means
of the free use of their limbs； lay on the bed； from which she
had not moved for years without being lifted by her nurse。 A
hand…glass was placed with the book so that she could reach it
easily。 She took up the glass after her attendant had left the
room； and looked at her face with an unblushing interest and
attention which she would have been ashamed of herself at the age
of eighteen。
〃Older and older； and thinner and thinner！〃 she said。 〃The major
will soon be a free man； but I'll have that red…haired hussy out
of the house first！〃
She dropped the looking…glass on the counterpane； and clinched
the hand that held it。 Her eyes suddenly riveted themselves on a
little crayon portrait of her husband hanging on the opposite
wall； they looked at the likeness with the hard and cruel
brightness of the eyes of a bird of prey。 〃Red is your taste in
your old age is it？〃 she said to the portrait。 〃Red hair； and a
scrofulous complexion； and a padded figure； a ballet…girl's walk；
and a pickpocket's light fingers。 _Miss_ Gwilt！ _Miss；_ with
those eyes； and that walk！〃 She turned her head suddenly on the
pillow； and burst into a harsh； jeering laugh。 〃_Miss！_〃 she
repeated over and over again； with the venomously pointed
emphasis of the most merciless of all human forms of
contemptthe contempt of one woman for another。
The age we live in is an age which finds no human creature
inexcusable。 Is there an excuse for Mrs。 Milroy？ Let the story of
her life answer the question。
She had married the major at an unusually early age； and； in
marrying him； had taken a man for her husband who was old enough
to be her fathera man who； at that time； had the reputation；
and not unjustly； of having made the freest use of his social
gifts and his advantages of personal appearance in the society of
women。 Indifferently educated； and below her husband in station；
she had begun by accepting his addresses under the influence of
her own flattered vanity； and had ended by feeling the
fascination which Major Milroy had exercised over women
infinitely her mental superiors in his earlier life。 He had been
touched； on his side； by her devotion； and had felt； in his turn；
the attraction of her beauty； her freshness； and her youth。 Up to
the time when their little daughter and only child had reached
the age of eight years； their married life had been an unusually
happy one。 At that period the double misfortune fell on the
household； of the failure of the wife's health； and the almost
total loss of the husband's fortune； and from that moment the
domestic happiness of the married pair was virtually at an end。
Having reached the age when men in general are readier； under the
pressure of calamity； to resign themselves than to resist； the
major had secured the little relics of his property； had retired
into the country； and had patiently taken refuge in his
mechanical pursuits。 A woman nearer to him in age； or a woman
with a better training and more patience of disposition than his
wife possessed； would have understood the major's conduct； and
have found consolation in the major's submission。 Mrs。 Milroy
found consolation in nothing。 Neither nature nor training helped
her to meet resignedly the cruel calamity which had struck at her
in the bloom of womanhood and the prime of beauty。 The curse of
incurable sickness blighted her at once and for life。
Suffering can； and does； develop the latent evil that there is in
humanity； as well as the latent good。 The good that was in Mrs。
Milroy's nature shrank up； under that subtly deteriorating
influence in which the evil grew and flourished。 Month by month；
as she became the weaker woman physically； she became the worse
woman morally。 All that was mean； cruel； and false in her
expanded in steady proportion to the contraction of all that had
once been generous； gentle； and true。 Old suspicions of her
husband's readiness to relapse into the irregularities of his
bachelor life； which； in her healthier days of mind and body； she
had openly confessed to himwhich she had always sooner or later
seen to be suspicions that he had not deservedcame back； now
that sickness had divorced her from him； in the form of that
baser conjugal distrust which keeps itself cunningly secret；
which gathers together its inflammatory particles atom by atom
into a heap； and sets the slowly burning frenzy of jealousy
alight in the mind。 No proof of her husband's blameless and
patient life that could now be shown to Mrs。 Milroy； no appeal
that could be made to her respect for herself； or for her child
growing up to womanhood； availed to dissipate the terrible
delusion born of her hopeless illness； and growing steadily with
its growth。 Like all other madness； it had its ebb and flow； its
time of spasmodic outburst； and its time of deceitful repose；
but； active or passive； it was always in her。 It had injured
innocent servants； and insulted blameless strangers。 It had
brought the first tears of shame and sorrow into her daughter's
eyes； and had set the deepest lines that scored it in her
husband's face。 It had made the secret misery of the little
household for years； and it was now to pass beyond the family
limits； and to influence coming events at Thorpe Ambrose； in
which the future interests of Allan and Allan's friend were
vitally concerned。
A moment's glance at the posture of domestic affairs in the
cottage； prior to the engagement of the new governess； is
necessary to the due appreciation of the serious cons