Part 5 (1/2)
”She certainly was the least guarded of the 'old guard.' But she said she loved Lady Sellingworth now, because she was so changed.”
”Physically, I suppose.”
”She didn't say that. She said morally.”
”That wasn't stupid of her.”
”Just what I thought. She said a moral revolution had taken place in Lady Sellingworth after the jewels were stolen.”
”That sounds almost too tumultuous to be comfortable.”
”Like 'A Tale of Two Cities' happening in one's interior.”
”And what did she attribute such a phenomenon to?”
”Well, she took almost a clerical view of the matter.”
”How very unexpected!”
”She said she believed that Adela--she called her Adela--that Adela took the loss of her jewels as a punishment for her sins.”
”Do you mean to say she used the word sins?”
”No; she said 'many lapses.' But that's what she meant.”
”Lapses from what?”
”She didn't exactly say. But I'm afraid she meant from a strict moral code.”
”Oh, Lord!” said Craven, thinking of Lady Wrackley's smile.
”Why do you say that?”
”Please--never mind! So Lady Wrackley thinks that Lady Sellingworth considered the loss of her jewels such a fitting punishment for her many lapses from a strict moral code that she never tried to get them back?”
”Apparently. She said that Addie--she called her Addie then--that Addie bowed her head.”
”Not beneath the rod! Don't tell me she used the word rod!”
”But she did!”
”Priceless!”
”Wasn't it? But women are like that when they belong to the 'old guard.'
Do you think she can be right?”
”If it is so, Lady Sellingworth must be a very unusual sort of woman.”
”She is--now. For she really did give up all in a moment. And she has never repented of what she did, as far as anyone knows. I think--”