The Disentanglers

the card presented to him on a salve

e gentle

which more expressed than hid his goodly and prominent proportions. He bowed, and Merton invited him to be seated. It

the crown of his hat, he wiped his countenance. The day was to

t. He pointed to a blue ribbon in the buttonhole of his coat, indicating that he

id was brought, while Merton silently admired his client's arrangement in blue and crim

a man of

ple was needed. He wondered internally what he was going to be

vaccinated?' asked t

quite understand your interest

duties-the debt that every man, woman, and child owes

owing,' said Merton, 'I h

' asked th

h; but I cannot

u not done your duty in this matter by your country, I should ha

ion. There is a firm of family solicitors on the floor above, and next them are the offices of a company interested in a patent explosive. If yo

take me, sir?'

by your colours'; but he repressed this retort, and mildly answered, 'Per

atrimonial affairs,' answered the client; and Merton said that he woul

s blue ribbon-'procured for me the honour of a defeat at the last general election, but endeared me to the consciences of the Nonconformist element i

tituency? I had understood that the Nonconfor

e badges, sir'-the client pointed to his own crimson decorations-'proclaim that I have been vaccinated on both arms, as a testimony to the immortal though, in Bulcester, maligned discovery of the great Jenner. Sir, I am hoo

n is relatively rec

gument, sir; that appeal to reason which overc

asked

and always,' he added proudly; but Merton did no

; and I defy popular clamour, accompanie

resting, but, my dear sir, while I admire the tenacity of your principles, will you

ve a family, an

accinated?' asked Merton

'But he is engaged, and I can never give my consent; and if he marries that girl, the

d his red handkerchief

s of your objection to this engageme

r leading ministers, Mr. Truman-author of The Bi

asked Merton gravely. 'In melancholy cases of that kind Mr. Hall Caine, in a ro

ey call it, has never been vaccinated. Like most of our prominent citizens, her father (otherwis

ain the conscience,' murmured Merton, quo

' asked the client, using-without knowing i

bjections to the all

e written them-a thoroughly uneducated man, who never could have passed the fourth standard. But look at the plays! There are things in them that, with all our modern advantages, are beyond me. I admit they are b

lady is in all other respects so suitable a m

dress and inflict this priceless boon on her with affecti

our methods are powerless. The only chance would be to divert young Mr. Warren's affections into some other more enlightened channel. That expedien

cal meetings, and a literary lecture or two, with a magic-lantern and a piano, we have not much social relaxa

w for the claims of

e the conscience must be enlightened,' said M

e the conscience of the Mormons leads them to singular aberrations, while that of the Arunta tribe-but I should only pain you i

ople, somehow, always want their literary lectures to be about novels. I try to make the lecturers take a lofty moral tone, and usually entertain them at my house, where I probe their ideas, and warn them that we must have nothin

ed, perhaps?

careful. But, sir, we seem to

Merton. 'I have an idea whi

indly,' said Mr. W

ety ever employ

nlarging the sphere of woman's ac

ation in your Society, and you knew no lady who had the opportunities necessary for presenting an agreeable alternative to the charms of Miss Truman. A young

way at Bulcester,

to execration, though never allowed to display itself in colours which would bring a blush to the cheek of-a white rabbit. Here is her portrait,' said Merton, taking up a family periodical, The Young Girl. This blameless journal was publishing a serial story by Miss Martin, one of the ladies who had been enlisted at the dinner given by Logan and Merton when they founded their Society. A photograph o

isplayed loveliness and candour in a very agreeable

s in her face,' said Mr. Warren. 'She is one who

reassuringly. 'Girls with faces lik

n the ground of her looks. "Nothing," she said, "will ever in

do you think of asking our young friend down to lecture-on Friday week, I think you said-on the Use and Abuse of Novels? You could easily persuade her, I

n. 'At Bulcester we welcome intellect, and a real novelist of

present,' Merton answered-'n

reject vaccination, like all other means appointed, and rely on mira

her address? In my opinion it would be best to write to her from Bulcester, on the official paper of the Literary Society.' Fo

sitatingly. 'This young lady, if our James lets h

on s

ny new matrimonial difficulty. The affection would be all on one side, and that side

Mr. Warren, lettin

y,' sai

these vague, but in Mr. Warren he saw a client who would feel more confidence if everything was put on a strictly business footing. The client

offered him the refreshment of tea and toast-very good toast, Merton thought-and he asked how her craft as a novelist was prospering. Friends

g Girl; and, mind you, it is no easy thing for a novelist to raise the circulation of any periodical. For example, if Th

years to get finished in

jury or not. I have six heroines in The Curate's Family, and I own their love affairs tend to get a little mixed. I have rigged up a small stage, with puppets in costume t

lse on?' as

k, and it gets on the nerves of his wife, the Marchioness, and two of the girls are born like mermaids. They have

nse!' excla

t is highly recommended by emin

hing

istorical romance, I got it up out of Histories of the Renaissance. The hero

s all right?'

is a bravo pour le bon motif, and

in a little plot of our own. Beneficent, of course, but I admit that my fancy

use,' said Miss Martin, 'because-to let out a secret-none of us

pstairs, and he told her all the story of Mr. W

y elope?' aske

s, and the young man has no accomplishment by which he c

do you wan

lecturer, and prepared Miss Martin to

The Use and Abuse of Novels"

I could do it by to-morrow

u must be ve

nts in The Young Girl,' said Mis

ly will essay

e great fun. I shall pick up copy about the

u as the author of your

ssion Flower" and "Nightshade,

in your photograph

They always wear fichus in evening dress. But, loo

ss Jane Truman will be miserable, and Mr. James Warr

d Jane has too much pride to

be the end of it,' said Merton, 'and, perhaps

to the union? I am all for happy endings myself. I drink to King Charles

you can persuade Ja

a happy conclusion to my Borgia novel, and that is not so easy.

d and remained ab

d abandon, while Merton, smoking in an arm-chair that

your idea?

Happy endi

and finally fell into another arm-chair, over

exander Borgia!' she said, w

You are not going, I trust, to poison the lemons for the elder

in. 'No; that is good business. I have made one of my villains

nal, I fear?'

But I am sure to succeed, and I hear the merry, merry wedding bel

hat is t

is my

e, or I telegraph to Mr. Warren: "Lecturer

t be true,' sa

lsehood,' s

suspected. And if it succeeds then the thing is done: either Mr. Warren is

wh

x, if that is the feminine of

eak it off if the o

ou one thing. The plan shall not be tried without the approval of

and let him vaccinate her when

said Miss Martin, 'that is not bad business either. I must make a note of that. But I can't hypnotise anybody. I tried lots of girls when I was

e w

s? None but the lover shall have his and her fa

young and a

r idea is absolutely safe and h

nal opinion,' and she mentioned an eminent name in the craft of healing. 'He was o

for Sir Josiah Wilkinson is good enough fo

Miss Martin, and with that ass

circle, as a virtuoso and collector of objects of art. His opinions about the beneficent effects of v

with three documents. These were Mr. Warren's invitation, her reply in acceptance, and a formal signe

aid Miss

gan is a born conspirator. However, as you are set on it, and as Sir Josiah's opinion

d Miss Martin, handing a ty

ABUSE O

r Scott. Impropriety re-introduced by Charlotte Bront?. Unwillingness of Lecturer to dwell on this Topic. The Novel is now the whole of Literature. The people have no time to read anything else. Responsibilities of the Novelist as a Teacher. The Novel the proper vehicle of Theological, Scientific, Social, and Political Instruction. Mr. Hall Caine, Miss Corelli. Fallacy of thinking that the Novel should Amuse. Abuse of the Novel as a source of mischievous and false Opinions. Case of The Woman Who Did. Sacredness of Marriage. Study of the No

' asked Miss M

exceed your plan,

rtin. 'It is all chaff,

ton-'it may lead to letters in the newspapers; and

t Described,"' said Miss Martin, penci

on. 'But it cuts out some of

d Miss Martin. 'Teacher

ter-hooks till I see you again. If I knew what you are really about, I'd

ghed in an irritating way. 'I'll tell you what I'll do,' she said. 'I'll telegraph to you on the Monday morning after the lectur

I shall be o

o con

xtra

d in C

Mer

nd there may be,' said Miss Martin

*

s the only thing of which he did feel sure. The newspapers contained bulletins of an epidemic of smallpox at Bulcester. How would

glass of champagne,' reflected Mer

ton, about ten on the Monday morning,

to Logan. 'Read the message

y opened the en

ully disappointed. Wil

Merton falling limply on to a sofa. 'Ring,

uld you like me to send out for smelling-sal

have been miscarried, whatever it was. It must be all right, though I sha'n't be quite happy till I see her. I am no coward, Logan' (and Merton was later to prove

ng laughed at

o'clock, a peal at the bell announced the arrival of Miss Martin. She enter

ngaged, with Mr. Warren's f

should embrace you!' excl

congratulate myself. My plot did not come off; never had a look in. Do you want to

to be vaccinate

ake hands,' sa

do you mean?'

dy, lifting her hand to h

Martin. 'It would be awkward-on

tiful cinque cento jewel in white and blue enamel

ton-'quite of the best perio

owed it from Sir Josiah Wilkinson. If it scratched you' (here s

? Pois

the old poison goes. Sir Josiah sterilised it, in case of accidents, before he put in the glycerinated lymph. My ow

was the R

tor. But were you going to shake hands with Miss Truman with that horrible ri

Mr. Warren-explain to him how the thing works, lend it to him, and then let him press his Jane's wrist with it in some

ow what the offence would have been in the eye of the law. Vaccinating a Conscientio

Scotland,' said Logan, 'if it was done on

it would have been a common assault; but, anyhow, it would have go

ll end happily

o may the lovers, but I call it ver

about it!'

down, simple a

nditiis!' s

manner of The Young Girl. He was a good-looking boy enough, though in a bowler hat, with turn-down collar. But he was gloomy. I was curious about the public buildings, ecstatic about the town hall, and a kind of Moeso-Gothic tabernacle (if

Of Sm

Ca

I took young Mr.

ing the ring?'

e clouds your brow. You are brooding over the fate of the young, the

do you know, Miss Martin,

u shall be her preserver." He wanted to know how it was to be done, of course, and after taking his word of honour for secrecy, I told him that the remedy would lie in his own hands, showed him the ring, and taught him how to work it. Mr. Squeers,' went on Mis

on the stage?'

ience, and you little know the treasures of passion that may

loth manufacturer

ive in houses of the most promiscuous architecture: Tudor, Jacobean, Queen Anne, Bedford Park Queen Anne, chalets, Chineseries, "all standing naked in the open air," for the trees have not grown up round them y

and dark turnpike stairs? What a house for conspiracies! There is a real turret window; can't y

career, the turret window was shot up, and a fa

small maidservant opened the portals of the baronial hall, while the ca

as to say that a gentleman wanted to see Mr. Warren in the study. So he went out, and then, James being the victim of gratitude, I took my courage in both hands and asked if I might have tea. James said that they usually had it after

up of tea and some bread-and-butter sent up to my

that can be made of ormolu. In about twenty minutes the girl returned with tea and poached eggs and toast, and jam and marmalade. So I dressed for the lecture, which was to begin at eight-just w

he said, and he winked again, rubbed his ha

es alone!

ng ladies like you. You leave James to himself. James

ise for me, but I merely asked if it w

ks to me, and he was remarkably smiling and particul

good news?" he asked. "You s

caught

ws do you mean? Anything in busi

e into a corner on the pretence of showing m

he station. James looks a new man. I never would have guessed him to be so

public before I was rather in a flutter. However, I conquered my girlish shyness, and if the audience was not large it was enthusiastic. When I came to the peroration about wishing them all happy endings and real beginnings of true life, don't you know, the audience actually rose at me, and cheered like anything. Then someone proposed, "Three cheers for young Warren," and they gave them like mad; I did not know why, nor did he: he looked quite pale. Then his father, with tears in his voice, proposed a vote of thanks to me, and said that he an

papers about the smallpox. The gentleman whom Mr. Warren went to see in the study, just after my arrival, had brought him this gratifying intelligence, and he had sent the gentleman back to ask the Trumans to a High Tea of reconciliation. The people at the l

Bulcester had come back to him, and I was afraid that he would brag dreadfully, but he did not; he was too happy, I think. And then Mr. Truman made a speech and said that though they felt obliged to own that they had come to the conclusion that though Anti-vaccination was a holy thing, still (in the circumstances) vacc

that of freedom, except the interest of depriving a poor man of his beer. To catch smallpox was a Briton's birthright, but not to take a modest quencher. No freedom to drink! "Down with the drink!" I cried, and drained my tea-cup, and wave

al Vaccinationist League. They are great people for leagues at Bulcester, and they like the initials L. V. L. There was no dri

said Merton, who rang the bell and then s

n only knows what we have escaped in the advent

g, and if Jane had resented it, he might have been indicted for a common assault, under 24 and 25 Victori

e proved the intent to annoy

,' said Merton. 'And I might have been an accessory before the

mired of the bridesmaids at