The girl's mind seemed to have been sullied by some contact, and previous indications disposed Emily to think that this Mrs.Tichborne was very probably a source of evil.

She was the wife of an hotel-keeper, the more vulgar for certain affectations of refinement acquired during bar-maidenhood in London, and her intimacy with the Cartwrights was now of long standing.

It was Jessie whom she specially affected; with her Jessie had just been spending a fortnight at the seaside.

The evil caught from Mrs.
Tichborne, or from some one of similar character, did not associate itself very naturally with the silly _naivete_ which marked the girl; she had the air of assuming the objectionable tone as a mark of cleverness.

Emily could not trust herself to utter the kind of comment which would naturally have risen to her lips; it would be practically useless, and her relations to Jessie were not such as could engender affectionate zeal in a serious attempt to overcome evil influences.
Emily was not of the women whose nature it is to pursue missionary enterprise; instead of calling forth her energies, a situation like the present threw her back upon herself; she sought a retreat from disgust in the sheltered purity of her own heart.