When the novelty of Mrs. Hoskyn's first baby had worn off, she successfully resisted the temptation to abandon it to the care of her servants, as an exacting little nuisance; but her incorrigible interest in art, no longer totally eclipsed by the cradle, retook possession of her mind. This interest, as usual, took the form of curiosity as to what Adrian Herbert was doing. Now that her domestic affections were satisfied and centred by Hoskyn, and that the complete absorption of Herbert's affections by his wife was beyond all suspicion, she felt easier and more earnest in her friendship for him than ever before. Marriage had indeed considerably deepened her capacity for friendship.
One morning, Hoskyn looked up from his paper and said, "Have you looked at the Times. There is something in it about Herbert that he won't like."
"I hope not. The Times always spoke well of him."
Hoskyn, without a word, handed her the sheet he had been reading and took up another.
"Oh John," said Mary, putting down the paper in dismay; "what is to be done?"
"Done! What about?"
"About Adrian."
"I don't know," said Hoskyn, placably. "Why should we do anything?"
"I for one, shall be very sorry if he loses his position, after all his early struggling."
"He won't lose it. Who cares about the Times?"
"But I am greatly afraid that the Times is right."
"If you think so, why, that's another thing. In that case, Herbert had better work a little harder."
"Yes; but he always used to work so hard."
"Well, he must keep at it, you know."
Mary fell a-musing; and Hoskyn went on reading.
"Adrian should never have married," she said presently.
"Why not, my dear"'
"Because of that," she replied, pointing to the paper.
"They don't find fault with him for being a married man, though. "
"They find fault with him for being what his marriage has made him. He neither thinks n<>r cares about anything but his wife."
"That needn't prevent his working," said Hoskyn. "I contrive to do a
goodish deal of work," he added with an amorous glance, "without caring
any the less for my wife."
"Your wife does not run away from you to the other end of Europe at a
moment's notice, John. She does not laugh at your business and treat you
as if you were a little boy who sometimes gets troublesome."
"Still," said Hoskyn reflectively, "she has a sort of fascination about her."
"Nonsense," said Mary, supposing that her husband had been paying her a
compliment, whereas he had really referred to Aurel "I feel very much in
earnest about this. It is quite pitiable to see a man like Adrian become
the slave of a woman who obviously docs not care for him—or perhaps
I should not say that; but she certainly does not care for him as he
deserves to be cared for. I am beginning to think that she cares for
nothing but money."
"Oh, come!" remonstrated Hoskyn. "You're too hard on her, Mary. She
certainly doesn't seem to concern herself much about Herbert: but
then I fancy that he is rather a milk-and-water sort of man. I
know he is a very good fellow, and all that; but there is a something
wanting in him—not exactly stamina, but—but something or other."
"There is a great want of worldliness and indifference in him; and I hope
there always will be, although a little of both would help him to bring
his wife to her senses. Still, Adrian is weak."
"I should think so. For my part," said Hoskyn, scratching his beard, and glancing at his wife as if he were going to make a venturesome remark, "I wonder how any woman could be bothered with him! I may be prejudiced: but that's my opinion."
"Oh, that is absurd," said Mary. "She may consider herself very fortunate
in getting so good a man. He is too good for her: that is where the real
difficulty lies. He is neglecting himself on her account. Do you think I
ought to speak to him seriously about it?"
"Humph!" muttered Hoskyn cautiously. "It's generally rather unwise to mix
oneself up with other people's affairs, particularly family affairs. You
don't as a rule get thanked for it."
"I know that. But is it right to hold aloof when one might do some good by
disregarding considerations of that sort? It is always safest to do nothing. But I doubt if it is generous."
"Well, you can do as you like. If I were in your place, I wouldn't meddle."