"He's the dearest creature in the world. He's on his guard, he's
prudent, he tested himself by separation. Then he came back to England
in love with her. She might have had it all!"
"I'm glad she didn't get it _that_ way."
"She had only to wait--to put an end to their artifice, harmless as it
was, for the present, but still wait. She might have broken off in a way
that would have made it come on again better."
"That's exactly what she didn't want."
"I mean as a quite separate incident," said Mrs. Gosselin.
"_I_ loathed their artifice, harmless as it was!" her son observed.
Mrs. Gosselin for a moment made no answer; then she turned away from the
fire into which she had been pensively gazing with the ejaculation "Poor
dear Guy!"
"I can't for the life of me see that he's to be pitied."
"He'll marry Charlotte Firminger."
"If he's such an ass as that it's his own affair."
"Bessie Whiteroy will bring it about."
"What has _she_ to do with it?"
"She wants to get hold of him."
"Then why will she marry him to another woman?"
"Because in that way she can select the other--a woman he won't care
for. It will keep him from taking some one that's nicer."