"One must inquire, or one cannot, or should not, judge," I said. "I suppose that there's something which she does, or does not, do?"
"It is something connected with her past life, I believe," Lady Naselton remarked.
"Her past life? Isn't it supposed to be rather interesting nowadays to have a past?"
I began to doubt whether, after all, I was going to be much of a favorite with Lady Naselton. She set her tea cup down, and looked at me with distinct disapproval in her face.
"Amongst a certain class of people it may be," she answered, severely; "not"--with emphasis--"in Northshire society; not in any part of it with which I am acquainted, I am glad to say. You must allow me to add, Miss Ffolliot, that I am somewhat surprised to hear you, a clergyman's daughter, express yourself so."
A clergyman's daughter. I was continually forgetting that. And, after all, it is much more comfortable to keep one's self in accord with one's environment. I pulled myself together, and explained with much surprise--
"I only asked a question, Lady Naselton. I wasn't expressing my own views. I think that women with a past are very horrid. One is so utterly tired of them in fiction that one does not want to meet them in real life. We won't talk of this at all. I'm not really interested. Tell me about Mr. Deville instead."
Now this was a little unkind of me, for I knew quite well that Lady Naselton was brimming with eagerness to tell me a good deal about this undesirable neighbor of ours. As it happened, however, my question afforded her a fresh opportunity, of which she took advantage.
"To tell you of one, unfortunately, is to tell you of the other," she said, significantly.
I decided to humor her, and raised my eyebrows in the most approved fashion.
I was received in favor again. My reception of the innuendo had been all that could be desired.
"We consider it a most flagrant case," she continued, leaning over towards me confidentially. "I am thankful to say that of the two Bruce Deville is the least blamed."
"Isn't that generally the case?" I murmured. "It is the woman who has to bear the burden."
"And it is generally the woman who deserves it," Lady Naselton answered, promptly. "It is my experience, at any rate, and I have seen a good deal more of life than you. In the present case there can be no doubt about it. The woman actually followed him down here, and took up her quarters almost at his gates whilst he was away. She was there with scarcely a stick of furniture in the house for nearly a month. When he came back, would you believe it, the house was furnished from top to bottom with things from the Court. The carts were going backwards and forwards for days. She even went up and selected some of the furniture herself. I saw it all going on with my own eyes. Oh! it was the most barefaced thing!"