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most urgent terms, to allow her to leave her post. I am told
that Mrs. Talbot tried to extract the woman's reasons. But without
success."
    " And
she let her leave without notice?"
    The vicar adroitly
seized his chance. "I agree--it was most foolish. She should
have known better. Had Miss Woodruff been in wiser employ I have no
doubt this sad business would not have taken place." He left a
pause for Mrs. Poulteney to grasp the implied compliment. "I
will make my story short. Miss Woodruff joined the Frenchman in
Weymouth. Her conduct is highly to be reprobated, but I am informed
that she lodged with a female cousin."
    " That
does not excuse her in my eyes."
    " Assuredly
not. But you must remember that she is not a lady born. The lower
classes are not so scrupulous about appearances as ourselves.
Furthermore I have omitted to tell you that the Frenchman had
plighted his troth. Miss Woodruff went to Weymouth in the
belief that she was to
marry."
    " But
was he not a Catholic?"
    Mrs. Poulteney saw
herself as a pure Patmos in a raging ocean of popery.
    " I
am afraid his conduct shows he was without any Christian faith. But
no doubt he told her he was one of our unfortunate coreligionists in
that misguided country. After some days he returned to France,
promising Miss Woodruff that as soon as he had seen his family and
provided himself with a new ship--another of his lies was that he was
to be promoted captain on his return--he would come back here, to
Lyme itself, marry her, and take her away with him. Since then she
has waited. It is quite clear that the man was a heartless deceiver.
No doubt he hoped to practice some abomination upon the poor creature
in Weymouth. And when her strong Christian principles showed him the
futility of his purposes, he took ship."
    " And
what has happened to her since? Surely Mrs. Talbot did not take her
back?"
    " Madam,
Mrs. Talbot is a somewhat eccentric lady. She offered to do so. But I
now come to the sad consequences of my story. Miss Woodruff is not
insane. Far from it. She is perfectly able to perform any duties that
may be given to her. But she suffers from grave attacks of
melancholia. They are doubtless partly attributable to remorse. But
also, I fear, to her fixed delusion that the lieutenant is an
honorable man and will one day return to her. For that reason she may
be frequently seen haunting the sea approaches to our town. Mr.
Fursey-Harris himself has earnestly endeavored to show to the woman
the hopelessness, not to say the impropriety, of her behavior. Not to
put too fine a point upon it, madam, she is slightly crazed."
    There was a silence
then. The vicar resigned himself to a pagan god--that of chance. He
sensed that Mrs. Poulteney was calculating. Her opinion of herself
required her to appear shocked and alarmed at the idea of allowing
such a creature into Marlborough House. But there was God to be
accounted to.
    " She
has relatives?"
    " I
understand not."
    " How
has she supported herself since ...?"
    " Most
pitifully. I understand she has been doing a little needlework. I
think Mrs. Tranter has employed her in such work. But she has been
living principally on her savings from her previous situation."
    " She
has saved, then."
    The vicar breathed
again.
    " If
you take her in, madam, I think she will be truly saved." He
played his trump card. "And perhaps--though it is not for me to
judge your conscience--she may in her turn save."
    Mrs. Poulteney suddenly
had a dazzling and heavenly vision; it was of Lady Cotton, with her
saintly nose
out
of joint. She frowned and stared at her deep-piled carpet.
    " I
should like Mr. Fursey-Harris to call."
    And a week later,
accompanied by the vicar of Lyme, he called, sipped madeira, and
said--and omitted--as his ecclesiastical colleague had advised. Mrs.
Talbot provided an interminable letter of reference, which did more
harm than good, since it failed disgracefully to condemn sufficiently
the governess's conduct. One phrase in particular