“He found no worse than he had made up his mind to find,” said Susanna. “What right has he to come into my house and take it for granted, to my face, that I am a disgrace to his sister? One would think I was a common woman from the streets.”
“Pshaw! What does he know? He is only a molly-coddling parson, poor fellow. He will give them a rare account of you when he goes back.”
“Let him,” said Susanna. “He can tell them how little I care for their opinion, anyhow.”
The Rev. George took the next train to the City, and went to the offices of the Electro-Motor Company, where he found his father. They retired together to the board-room, which was unoccupied just then.
“I have been to that woman,” said the clergyman.
“Well, what does she say?”
“She is an entirely abandoned person. She glories in her shame. I have never before met with such an example of complete and unconscious depravity. Yet she is not unattractive. There is a wonderfully clever refinement even in her coarseness which goes far to account for her influence over Marmaduke.”
“No doubt; but apart from her personal charms, about which I am not curious, is she willing to assist us?”
“No. I could make no impression on her at all.”
“Well, it cannot be helped. Did you say anything about Conolly’s selling his interest here and leaving the country?”