Demos

aid before a family council, held after breakfast in the dining-room. Richard opened the discussion with some vehemence, and appealed to his mother

him or me'll have to leave this house. If he wants to disgr

n of living a life of elegant leisure, and is forthwith scouted as a disgrace to

o Wanley?' he exclaimed at length

avoided

,' he replied. 'If you can't be trusted to do

nor no. The council broke up

a practical man. What if there was money waiting for him? The use of money was to breed money, and nowadays no man was rich who didn't constantly increase his capital. As a great ironmaster, he would hold a

aking an impression, and gradually fell into a kinder tone, so th

you see that fellows like him'll hang on and make their profit out of you if you know

urpose. He had begun to reflect that after all it might be more profitable

gone by; it was understood that the pressure of responsibilities grew daily more severe. New Wanley, as the industrial settlement in the valley was

r mention of marriage. In Emma's mind a new term had fixed itself-that of her sister's recovery; but there were dark moments when dread came to her that not Jane's recovery, but something else, would set her free. In the early autumn Richard persuaded

apples and plums was bare beyond precedent. The west wind breathing up between the hill-sides only brought smoke from newly-built chimneys; the face of the fields was already losing its purity and taking on a dun hue. Where a large orchard had flourished were two streets of small houses, gl

ke Messrs. Cowes and Cullen, who perhaps thought themselves a little neglected by the great light of the Union, there passed occasionally nods and winks, which were meant to imply much. There were rumours of banqueting which went on at Wanley; the Manor was spoken of by some who had not seen it as little less than a palace-nay, it was declared by one or two of the shrewder tongued that a manservant in livery opened the door, a monstrous thing if true. Worse than this was the talk which began to spread amon

turday to Monday. These men, be it noted in passing, distinguished themselves from that day onwards by unsparing detraction whenever the name of Mutimer came up in private talk, though, of course, they were the loudest in applause when platform reference to their leader demanded it. Besides the expressly invited, there was naturally no

l observe that it is one of a seris-notable men of the day. I supply the "Chronicle" with a London letter, and give them one of these little ske

d Mutimer.' Mr. Keene had likewise brought in his pocket the placard of the newspaper,

nner at their house. He hesitated at first to invite the ladies to the Manor; in his uncertainty on social usages he feared lest there might be impropriety in a bachelor giving such an invitation. He appealed to Alfred, who naturally la

being present. On the afternoon of the following day Mrs. Waltham and her daughter were talking together in their sitting-room, an

entlemanly man than Mr. Mutimer. There must be something superior in his fa

hanic,' replied Adela, in the impatient way i

Remember old Mr. Mutimer; he was a perfect gentleman. I have no doubt the family is really a very good one. Indeed, I am all but sure that I remember the name in Hampshire; there was

large, and just what you would expect

ham laugh

verse? The shape of the fingers is pe

ther, to give special attent

book she was trying to read, and, with lowered eyes,

u so prejud

ll. I have no interest of

She felt herself hard beset. A network was being woven about her by hands she could not deem other than loving; i

. Surely you ought not to say that

his mistake me. Alfred's friends are very far from being necessarily my frien

t, Adela,' said her m

ed to make you understand that sooner. I thought you

very hard for me to understand. I am sure his behaviour

word to use. You are mistaken; Mr.

ment. Granted the absence of certain qualities which she held essential in

ed himself?' inquired her m

than that, it must be the truth-as it seems to me. Please, mother dear, don't ask me to talk about him in future. And there is something else I wish to say. I do hop

decide what is proper and what is not. My experience is surely the best ju

ind or rude to you? I didn't for a moment mean that my judgment was better than yours; it is my fe

-fashioned people are a little coarse; their feelings are not quite as fine as they might be. We will say no more f

tears in Ad

that I cannot let Mr. Mutimer misunderstand the way in which. I regard him? He comes here really so very often, and if we

dly agitated. When Adela bent and kissed her she sighed

as been a little misunderstanding on both sides.

pportunity, and that, on the whole, she was not discouraged. Mothers are often unaware of thei

seat by the window, when a gentleman who was approaching th

here was a knock

d, as if she could not spea

p with dignity, then started from her se

servant who was go

are not

lite fictions of society; never before had that welcome mo

you say, p

are not at home, neith

t have been dull not to read the meaning of the servant's si

dela when she heard the outer door c

impudence? If that is gentlemanly, then I must confess I-Real

special reason for calling,'

kind with Mr. Eldon, and it is impos

hortly went

, as it seemed to him, polished manner of his subordinate, and wondered at it the more since Rodman declared himself a proletarian by birth, and, in private, was fond of referring to the hardships of his early life. That there may be no needless mystery about Mr. Rodman, I am under the necessity of stating the fact that he was the son of a prosperous railway contractor, that he was born in Canada, and would have s

to-day,' Mr. Rodman remarked as

, with indifference. '

ng up towards

hibited mo

red Waltham that there had been a certain intimacy between the 'two famil

a very affectionate reception to-day. His little doings have rather startled the good people of Wanle

anything partic

d, and he nodded his head as if in the direc

rs deny it, as I gather from general conversation

o that, you mean?' said M

oba

ass revolve, his f

suppose they're not too

hundred and fifty pounds, that's all

get to know so much

made a silent gesture, as if to

to-day? I wonder whe

t you know

beginning he had only played with dangerous thoughts; to break faith with Emma Vine had appeared an impossibility, and a marriage such as his fancy substituted, the most improbable of things. But in men of Richard's stamp that which allures the fancy will, if circumstances give but a little encouragement, soon take hold upon the planning brain. His acquaintance with the Walthams had ripened to intimacy, and custom nourished his self-confidence; moreover, he cou

that Adela has never given me an hour's serious uneasiness. The dear child has, I believe

Adela alone, that inspired this passion; it was a new ideal of the feminine addressing itself to his instincts. Adela had the field to herself, and did indeed embody in almost an ideal degree the fine essence of distinctly feminine qualities which appeal most strongly to the masculine mind. Mutimer was not capable of love in the highest sense; he was not, again, endowed with strong appetite; but his nature contained possibilities of refinement which, in a situation like the present, constituted motive force the same in its effects as either form of passion. He was suffering, too, from the malaise peculiar to men who suddenl

er being than all his literature of 'free thought' had been able to convey to him. To break with Emma, to cast his faith to the winds, to be branded henceforth in the sight of his intimate friends as a mere traitor, and an especially mean one to boot-that at the first blush was of the things so impossible that one does not troubl

been lifelong gossips; she knew that to Emma had descended the larger portion of her parent's sterling qualities, and that Emma was the one wife for such a man as Richard. She talked him into approval. In those days Richard had no dream of wedding above his class, and he understood very well that Emma Vine was distinguished in many ways from th

rection of love. Of the nobler features in Emma's character, he of course remained ignorant; they did not enter into his demands upon woman, and he was unable to discern them even when they were brought prominently before

a gift of nature and irrespective of circumstances, but which in most of us owes so much to intellectual training. Half the brutal cruelties perpetrated by uneducated men and women are directly traceable to lack of the imaginative spirit, which comes to mean lack of kindly sympathy. Mutimer, we know, had got for himself only the most profitless of educations, and in addition nature had scanted him on the emotional side. He could not enter into the position of Emma deserted and hopeless. Want of money was intelligible to him,

el Dabbs. No one of his acquaintances thought of him so highly as Emma did; to see himself dethroned, the object of her contempt, was a bitter pill to swallow. In all that concerned his own digni

at domestic perfidy was in the end incompatible with public zeal would have seemed to him ridiculous, and for the simple reason that he recognised no 'moral sanctions. He could not regard his nature as a whole; he had no understanding for the subtle network of communication between its various parts. Nay, he told hi

, and, if so, with what result, he gave scarcely a moment. Marriages

as he could command bade him look up and view with scorn the ragged defenders of the forts; but whence came this hail of missiles which kept him so sore? Clearly there was some element of his nature which eluded grasp and definition, a misty influence making itself felt here and there. To none of the sources upon which I have touched was it clearly traceable; in truth, it arose from them all.

. It was so very rarely that Mrs. Mutimer took up that dangerous instrument, the pen, that something unusual must have led to her doing so at present. And, indeed,

ks. You'll be saying it's no business of mine, but I can't stand by and see Emma putting up with things as there isn't no reason. Jane is in a very bad way, poor girl; I can't think she'll live long. Now, Dick, what I'm aiming at you'll see. I can't understand why you don't get married and done with it. Jane won't never be able to work again, and that Kate 'll never keep up a dressmaking. Why don't you mar

MUTI

ring he no longer gave a glance in that direction. Not even if Adela Waltham refused him; to have a 'lady' for his wife was now an essential in his plans for the

im to marry for a few weeks yet. He would write to Emma, and would send her all the money she could possibly need to supply the sick girl with comforts. She must keep up her courage,

thin view; the New Wanley Public Hall was completed, and its formal opening must be made an occasion of ceremony. In that ceremony Richard would be the central figure. He proposed to gather about him a representative company; not only would the Socialist leaders attend as a matter of course, invitations should also be sent to prominent men in the conventional lines of politics. A speech from a certain Radical statesman, who could probably be induced to attend, would command the attention of the press

found her at home one rainy morning. Adela, aware of his arrival, retreated to her little room upstair

ttee and a few others. It'll be better than giving a dinner. Westlake's lecture will be over by four

of some kind for casual come

ve joints and that kind of thing in the refreshment-room at the Hall from half-past tw

inside the rai

e works to Agworth station, was to convey

sure to come', and I think Mrs. Eddlestone-the wife of the Trades Union man, you kn

ned to the window, watch

with a laugh which betrayed a touch of sore throat. 'I'm half afraid to accep

were crossed, and he swa

ou what would make it simpler: do you thi

sk Mr. Wyvern by all means. Then, of c

. I rather think he regards me as his en

are so many texts that read quite like Socialism; I was looking them over with Adela on Sunday. What a sad thing it is tha

t of discomfort, but l

all events,' he said. 'But mu

ltham h

ould make th

ase, hope that Miss

question. Mrs. Waltham sank her eyes, smi

ccasion, I'm r

tlake,' urged Richard, without his usual

ot a Socialis

sat for a moment looking into t

m, may I ask

ela should marry possessions. She flattered herself that her study of Mutimer's character had been profound; the necessity of making such a study excused, she thought, any little excess of familiarity in which she had indulged, for it had long been clear to her that Mutimer would some day make an offer. He lacked polish, it was true, but really he was more a gentleman than a great many whose right to the name was never contested. And then he had distinctly high aims: such a man could never be brutal in the privacy of his home. There was every chance

ation. I think it would be better, really. We shall see whether you can persuade Mr. Wyvern to be present

lly. Mrs. Waltham could see that his nerves were in