第7章

"Yes，fled，mychild。"Andsheseizedherdaughterinherarms，andpressedhercloselytoherbosom。"Cowardsalwaysfly。"

"IsMr。O\'Brienacoward？"Idaasked。

"Yes，acoward，averycoward！Andhehasfledbeforetheglanceofanhonestwoman\'seye。Come，Mrs。Mackinnon，shallwegobacktothecity？Iamsorrythattheamusementofthedayshouldhavereceivedthischeck。"Andshewalkedforwardtothecarriageandtookherplaceinitwithanairthatshowedthatshewasproudofthewayinwhichshehadconductedherself。

"Sheisalittleconceitedaboutitafterall，"saidthatunmarriedlady。"IfpoorMr。O\'BrienhadnotshownsomuchprematureanxietywithreferencetothatlittlejourneytoNaples，thingsmighthavegonequietlyafterall。"

Buttheunmarriedladywaswronginherjudgment。Mrs。Talboyswasproudandconceitedinthematter，butnotproudofhavingexcitedtheadmirationofherIrishlover。Shewasproudofherownsubsequentconduct，andgaveherselfcreditforcomingoutstronglyasanoble-mindedmatron。"Ibelieveshethinks，"saidMrs。

Mackinnon，"thathervirtueisquiteSpartanandunique；andifsheremainsinRomeshe\'llboastofitthroughthewholewinter。"

"Ifshedoes，shemaybecertainthatO\'Brienwilldothesame，"

saidMackinnon。"Andinspiteofhishavingfledfromthefield，itisuponthecardsthathemaygetthebestofit。Mrs。Talboysisaveryexcellentwoman。Shehasprovedherexcellencebeyondadoubt。

But，nevertheless，sheissusceptibleofridicule。"

WeallfeltalittleanxietytohearO\'Brien\'saccountofthematter，andafterhavingdepositedtheladiesattheirhomes，MackinnonandIwentofftohislodgings。Atfirsthewasdeniedtous，butafterawhilewegothisservanttoacknowledgethathewasathome，andthenwemadeourwayuptohisstudio。Wefoundhimseatedbehindahalf-formedmodel，orratheramerelumpofclaypunchedintosomethingresemblingtheshapeofahead，withapipeinhismouthandabitofstickinhishand。Hewaspretendingtowork，thoughwebothknewthatitwasoutofthequestionthatheshoulddoanythinginhispresentframeofmind。

"IthinkIheardmyservanttellyouthatIwasnotathome，"saidhe。

"Yes，hedid，"saidMackinnon，"andwouldhavesworntoittooifwewouldhavelethim。Come，don\'tpretendtobesurly。"

"Iamverybusy，Mr。Mackinnon。"

"CompletingyourheadofMrs。Talboys，Isuppose，beforeyoustartforNaples。"

"Youdon\'tmeantosaythatshehastoldyouallaboutit，"andheturnedawayfromhiswork，andlookedupintoourfaceswithacomicalexpression，halfoffunandhalfofdespair。

"Everywordofit，"saidI。"Whenyouwantaladytotravelwithyou，neveraskhertogetupsoearlyinwinter。"

"But，O\'Brien，howcouldyoubesuchanass？"saidMackinnon。"Asithasturnedout，thereisnoverygreatharmdone。Youhaveinsultedarespectablemiddle-agedwoman，themotherofafamily，andthewifeofageneralofficer，andthereisanendofit；

unless，indeed，thegeneralofficershouldcomeoutfromEnglandtocallyoutoaccount。"

"Heiswelcome，"saidO\'Brien，haughtily。

"Nodoubt，mydearfellow，"saidMackinnon；"thatwouldbeadignifiedandpleasantendingtotheaffair。ButwhatIwanttoknowisthis；whatwouldyouhavedoneifshehadagreedtogo？"

"Henevercalculatedonthepossibilityofsuchacontingency，"saidI。

"Byheavens，then，Ithoughtshewouldlikeit，"saidhe。

"Andtoobligeheryouwerecontenttosacrificeyourself，"saidMackinnon。

"Well，thatwasjustit。Whatthedeuceisafellowtodowhenawomangoesoninthatway。Shetoldmedownthere，upontheoldracecourseyouknow，thatmatrimonialbondsweremadeforfoolsandslaves。WhatwasItosupposethatshemeantbythat？Buttomakeallsure，IaskedherwhatsortofafellowtheGeneralwas。\'Dearoldman，\'shesaid，claspingherhandstogether。\'Hemight，youknow，havebeenmyfather。\'\'Iwishhewere，\'saidI，\'becausethenyou\'dbefree。\'\'Iamfree，\'saidshe，stampingontheground，andlookingupatmeasmuchastosaythatshecaredfornoone。

\'Then，\'saidI，\'acceptallthatisleftoftheheartofWenceslausO\'Brien，\'andIthrewmyselfbeforeherinherpath。\'Hand，\'saidI，\'Ihavenonetogive，butthebloodwhichrunsredthroughmyveinsisdescendedfromadoublelineofkings。\'Isaidthatbecausesheisalwaysfondofridingahighhorse。Ihadgottencloseunderthewall，sothatnoneofyoushouldseemefromthetower。"

"Andwhatanswerdidshemake？"saidMackinnon。

"WhyshewaspleasedasPunch；gavemebothherhands，anddeclaredthatwewouldbefriendsforever。Itismybelief，Mackinnon，thatthatwomanneverheardanythingofthekindbefore。TheGeneral，nodoubt，diditbyletter。"

"Andhowwasitthatshechangedhermind？"

"Why；Igotup，putmyarmroundherwaist，andtoldherthatwewouldbeofftoNaples。I\'mblestifshedidn\'tgivemeaknockintheribsthatnearlysentmebackwards。Shetookmybreathaway，sothatIcouldn\'tspeaktoher。"

"Andthen"

"Oh，therewasnothingmore。OfcourseIsawhowitwas。SoshewalkedoffonewayandItheother。OnthewholeIconsiderthatI

amwelloutofit。"

"AndsodoI，"saidMackinnon，verygravely。"Butifyouwillallowmetogiveyoumyadvice，Iwouldsuggestthatitwouldbewelltoavoidsuchmistakesinfuture。"

"Uponmyword，"saidO\'Brien，excusinghimself，"Idon\'tknowwhatamanistodoundersuchcircumstances。IgiveyoumyhonourthatI

diditalltoobligeher。"

WethendecidedthatMackinnonshouldconveytotheinjuredladythehumbleapologyofherlateadmirer。Itwassettledthatnodetailedexcusesshouldbemade。Itshouldbelefttohertoconsiderwhetherthedeedwhichhadbeendonemighthavebeenoccasionedbywine，orbythefollyofamoment，orbyherownindiscreetenthusiasm。Noonebutthetwowerepresentwhenthemessagewasgiven，andthereforewewereobligedtotrusttoMackinnon\'saccuracyforanaccountofit。

Shestoodonveryhighgroundindeed，hesaid，atfirstrefusingtohearanythingthathehadtosayonthematter。"Thefoolishyoungman，"shedeclared，"wasbelowherangerandbelowhercontempt。"

"HeisnotthefirstIrishmanthathasbeenmadeindiscreetbybeauty，"saidMackinnon。

"Atrucetothat，"shereplied，wavingherhandwithanairofassumedmajesty。"Theincident，contemptibleasitis，hasbeenunpleasanttome。ItwillnecessitatemywithdrawalfromRome。"

"Oh，no，Mrs。Talboys；thatwillbemakingtoomuchofhim。"

"Thegreatestherothatlives，"sheanswered，"mayhavehishousemadeuninhabitablebyaverysmallinsect。"Mackinnonsworethatthosewereherownwords。ConsequentlyasobriquetwasattachedtoO\'Brienofwhichhebynomeansapproved。AndfromthatdaywealwayscalledMrs。Talboys"thehero。"

Mackinnonprevailedatlastwithher，andshedidnotleaveRome。

ShewaseveninducedtosendamessagetoO\'Brien，conveyingherforgiveness。TheyshookhandstogetherwithgreateclatinMrs。

Mackinnon\'sdrawing-room；butIdonotsupposethatsheeveragainofferedtohimsympathyonthescoreofhismatrimonialtroubles。