Part 27 (2/2)

said Miss Martin, 'because--to let out a secret--none of us ever smoke, except at public dinners to give tone. But _you_ may.'

She led Merton to a sepulchral little chamber upstairs, and he told her all the story of Mr. Warren, his son, and the daughter of the minister.

'Why don't they elope?' asked Miss Martin.

'The Nonconformist conscience is unfriendly to elopements, and the young man has no accomplishment by which he could support his bride except the art of making oilcloth.'

'Well, what do you want me to do?'

Merton unfolded the scheme of the lady lecturer, and prepared Miss Martin to receive an invitation from Mr. Warren.

'Can you write a lecture on ”The Use and Abuse of Novels” before Friday week?' he asked.

'Say seven thousand words? I could do it by to-morrow morning,' said Miss Martin.

'You know you must be very careful?'

'Style of answers to correspondents in _The Young Girl_,' said Miss Martin. 'I know my way about.'

'Then you really will essay the adventure?'

'Like a bird,' answered the lady. 'It will be great fun. I shall pick up copy about the habits of the middle cla.s.ses in the Midlands.'

'They won't recognise you as the author of your more criminal romances?'

'How can they? I sign them ”Pa.s.sion Flower” and ”Nightshade,” and ”La Tofana,” and so on.'

'You will dress as in your photograph in _The Young Girl_?'

'I will, and take a _fichu_ to wear in the evening. They always wear _fichus_ in evening dress. But, look here, do you want a happy ending to this romance?'

'How can it be happy if you are to be successful? Miss Jane Truman will be miserable, and Mr. James Warren will die of remorse and a broken heart, when you--'

'Fail to crown his flame, and Jane has too much pride to welcome back the wanderer?'

'I'm afraid that, or something like that, will be the end of it,' said Merton, 'and, perhaps, on reflection, we had better drop the affair.'

'But suppose I could manage a happy ending? Suppose I reconcile Mr.

Warren to the union? I am all for happy endings myself. I drink to King Charles II., who declared that while _he_ was king all tragedies should end happily.'

'You don't mean that you can persuade Jane to be vaccinated?'

'One never knows till one tries. You'll find that I shall make a happy conclusion to my Borgia novel, and _that_ is not so easy. You see Lionardo goes to the Pope's jeweller and exchanges the--'

Miss Martin paused and remained absorbed in thought.

Suddenly she danced round the room with much grace and _abandon_, while Merton, smoking in an arm-chair that had lost a castor, gently applauded the performance.

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