Nora was silent.
"Ah, I have my answer!" remarked the lady in a low voice; then raising her tone she said:
"I believe that my son, Mr. Herman Brudenell, is in the habit of daily visiting your house; is it not so?"
Nora looked up at the lady for an instant and then dropped her eyes.
"Quite sufficient! Now, my girl, as by your silence you have admitted all my suppositions, I must speak to you very seriously. And in the first place I would ask you, if you do not know, that when a gentleman of Mr. Brudenell's high position takes notice of a girl of your low rank, he does so with but one purpose? Answer me!"
"I do not understand you, madam."
"Very well, then, I will speak more plainly! Are you not aware, I would say, that when Herman Brudenell visits Nora Worth daily for months he means her no good?"
Nora paused for a moment to turn this question over in her mind before replying.
"I cannot think, madam, that Mr. Herman Brudenell could mean anything but good to any creature, however humble, whom he deigned to notice!"
"You are a natural fool or a very artful girl, one or the other!" said the lady, who was not very choice in her language when speaking in anger to her inferiors.