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Evelyn questioned. "Not yet!" "Then I don't think he ever will," she said quietly. "Do you suppose he will be fool enough to go to the penitentiary, or hang, to save your reputation?" Langham asked harshly. "I think Jack North would be almost fool enough for that," she answered with conviction. "Well, I don't, you were too easy, men don't risk their necks for your sort!" he mocked.
Catherine little knows what stuff that cold intangible soul is made of. Meanwhile, Langham was standing heavily, looking out into the night. The different elements in the mountain of discomfort that weighed upon him were so many that the weary mind made no attempt to analyse them.
Now it seemed to her Robert must necessarily look at the matter differently, and she could not make up her mind to talk to him about it. In reality, his objections had never had the same basis as hers, and he would have given her as strong a support as ever, if she had asked for it. But she held her peace, and he, absorbed in other things, took no notice. Besides, he knew Langham too well.
What magic had passed over him? 'Do you know, said Langham, moving, 'that you are standing in a draught, and that it has turned extremely cold? For she had left the passage-door wide open behind her, and as the window was partially open the curtains were swaying hither and thither, and her muslin dress was being blown in coils round her feet. 'So it has, said Rose, shivering.
I quartered myself at first at the Russel Square Hotel, in a few days transferring to the patrician Langham. I began by making tentative inquiries. I purchased all society papers which I read from cover to cover, and then carefully feeling my way put further questions that would locate the set in which my lady was a central figure.
'It was amply proved at the time, said Langham dryly, 'though of course Madame Desforêts tried to put her own color on it. But I told you I had private information. On one of the floors of the house where Elise Romey was picked up, lived a young university professor. He is editing an important Greek text, and has lately had business at the Museum. I made friends with him there.
And now there could be no question about it Rose had changed her ground toward Mr. Langham altogether. Her manner at breakfast was evidence enough of it. Catherine's self-torturing mind leapt on for an instant to all sorts of horrors. That man! and she and Robert responsible to her mother and her dead father! Never! Then she scolded herself back to common-sense.
The first Langham opened had a Latin dedication in a quavering old man's hand, 'Amico et discipulo meo, signed 'Fredericus Gulielmus Schelling. The next bore the autograph of Alexander von Humboldt, the next that of Boeckh, the famous classic, and so on.
And then the young rector sighed, as many a boyish memory came crowding upon him. A sound of wheels! Robert's long legs took him to the gate in a twinkling, and he flung it open just as Rose drove up in fine style, a thin dark man beside her. Rose lent her bright cheek to Catherine's kiss, and the two sisters walked up to the door together, while Robert and Langham loitered after them talking.
'The most considerable gift I ever came across in an amateur. His olive cheek flushed a little involuntarily. Robert threw a quick observant look at him. 'The difficulty, he exclaimed, 'is to know what to do with it! 'Why do you make the difficulty? I gather she wants to study abroad. What is there to prevent it? Langham turned to his companion with a touch of asperity.
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