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almost dewlaps, that pinched
the lips together in condign rejection of all that threatened her two
life principles: the one being (I will borrow Treitschke's sarcastic
formulation) that "Civilization is Soap" and the other,
"Respectability is what does not give me offense." She bore
some resemblance to a white Pekinese; to be exact, to a stuffed
Pekinese, since she carried concealed in her bosom a small bag of
camphor as a prophylactic against cholera .. . so that where she was,
was always also a delicate emanation of mothballs.
    " I
do not know her."
    The vicar felt snubbed;
and wondered what would have happened had the Good Samaritan come
upon Mrs. Poulteney instead of the poor traveler.
    " I
did not suppose you would. She is a Charmouth girl."
    " A
girl?"
    " That
is, I am not quite sure of her age, a woman, a lady of some thirty
years of age. Perhaps more. I would not like to hazard a guess."
The vicar was conscious that he was making a poor start for the
absent defendant. "But a most distressing case. Most deserving
of your charity."
    " Has
she an education?"
    " Yes
indeed. She was trained to be a governess. She was a governess."
    " And
what is she now?"
    " I
believe she is without employment."
    " Why?"
    " That
is a long story."
    " I
should certainly wish to hear it before proceeding."
    So the vicar sat down
again, and told her what he knew, or some (for in his brave attempt
to save Mrs. Poulteney's soul, he decided to endanger his own) of
what he knew, of Sarah Woodruff. " The
girl's father was a tenant of Lord Meriton's, near Beaminster. A
farmer merely, but a man of excellent principles and highly respected
in that neighborhood. He most wisely provided the girl with a better
education than one would expect."
    " He
is deceased?"
    " Some
several years ago. The girl became a governess to Captain John
Talbot's family at Charmouth."
    " Will
he give a letter of reference?"
    " My
dear Mrs. Poulteney, we are discussing, if I understood our earlier
conversation aright, an object of charity, not an object of
employment." She bobbed, the nearest acknowledgment to an
apology she had ever been known to muster. "No doubt such a
letter can be obtained. She left his home at her own request. What
happened was this. You will recall the French barque--I think she
hailed from Saint Malo--that was driven ashore under Stonebarrow in
the dreadful gale of last December? And you will no doubt recall that
three of the crew were saved and were taken in by the people of
Charmouth? Two were simple sailors. One, I understand, was the
lieutenant of the vessel. His leg had been crushed at the first
impact, but he clung to a spar and was washed ashore. You must surely
have read of this."
    " Very
probably. I do not like the French."
    " Captain
Talbot, as a naval officer himself, most kindly charged upon his
household the care of the ... foreign officer. He spoke no English.
And Miss Woodruff was called upon to interpret and look after his
needs."
    " She
speaks French?" Mrs. Poulteney's alarm at this appalling
disclosure was nearly enough to sink the vicar. But he ended by
bowing and smiling urbanely.
    " My
dear madam, so do most governesses. It is not their fault if the
world requires such attainments of them. But to return to the French
gentleman. I regret to say that he did not deserve that appellation."
    " Mr.
Forsythe!"
    She drew herself up, but
not too severely, in case she might freeze the poor man into silence.
    " I
hasten to add that no misconduct took place at Captain Talbot's. Or
indeed, so far as Miss Woodruff is concerned, at any subsequent place
or time. I have Mr. Fursey-Harris's word for that. He knows the
circumstances far better than I." The person referred to was the
vicar of Charmouth. "But the Frenchman managed to engage Miss
Woodruff's affections. When his leg was mended he took coach to
Weymouth, there, or so it was generally supposed, to find a passage
home. Two days after he had gone Miss Woodruff requested Mrs. Talbot,
in the