"He was certainly never my friend, but I understood him to be yours," replied Mr. Howard, coldly.
"What can a man do in that delectable neighbourhood?—He helps one to get through the time. I dare swear he made the whole thing up!" So saying, Lord Osborne swung out of the room.
He had not been long gone when there was a timid knock, and Miss Osborne entered with a book in her hand.
Mr. Howard rose and placed a chair for her; but did not sit down himself.
"I came to ask you if you would be so very good as to help me with this passage in Dante's Inferno," she said.
He read it at once without any hesitation, as the portion indicated presented no special difficulty that he could see; and he was constrained to wonder wherefore she had selected it—the truth being that she had opened the volume at random.
"I have just heard from Lady Osborne that Miss Watson is about to be married."
In spite of himself, he was obliged to smile.
"I regret that I have nothing to add to this thunderbolt!"