She called to a passing servant, and the wine was brought,--rare old tawny, full-bodied, mellow Madeira,--such wine as is now to be met in about a dozen houses in the land, and utterly different from the mixture of mahogany-shavings and brandy which is sold under its name. Simnel poured out two half-glasses; but Kate took the decanter from him, filled her glass to the brim, and nodding to him, drank off half its contents.
"Ah!" said she, with a long-drawn inspiration; "that's the stuff! No nonsense in that, you know; doesn't pretend to be what it isn't, and can't deceive you. Tom Gillespie sent me a lot of that: found no end of it in the cellars of his old uncle, the East-India Director, whose tin he came in for. I find it does me good, steadies my nerve, and gives me fresh life. What are you shaking your head at?"
"It's dangerous tipple, Kate. I don't like to hear you talk like that. Your nerves used to be as strong as steel, without any steadying. I say, Kitty," said Mr. Simnel with a grave face; "you're not giving way to this sort of thing for--"
"For what?" interrupted Kate, with a discordant laugh; "for comfort? Oh, no, thank you; I don't want that yet: I don't want to drown my sorrows in the bowl. I haven't got any sorrows, and I shouldn't do that with them if I had. By the way, Simnel, how is that affair going on,--you know what I mean? You promised to let me know."
"I believe it stands very much the same as it did," said he.
"Then it hasn't worn out yet? he isn't tired of it, eh?" she asked eagerly.
"No; it still goes on."
"You promised to tell me the woman's name, Simnel; why haven't you done so? You pretend friendship for me, and then you keep things from me that I ought to know; and you don't come and see me, and,--There, I don't believe in you a bit!"
"I keep things from you until the proper time for you to know them. I don't come and see you, because all the leisure time I have had has been devoted to your interests; and, by the way, Kate, that brings me to the occasion of my present visit. I suppose you give me credit for sincerity--"
"Oh, ah; well, what then?"