6/18 I should like to make some use of him, but I don't quite know how." "I am sorry to say he belongs by marriage to our family," replied Irene. He is neither a gentleman, nor anything else that one can respect." It closed a conversation in which they had differed more sharply than usual, with--on Irene's part--something less than the wonted gaiety of humour. They did not see each other very often, but always seemed glad to meet, and always talked in a tone of peculiar intimacy, as if conscious of mutual understanding. Yet no two acquaintances could have been in greater doubt as to each other's mind and character. Irene was often mentally occupied with Mr.Jacks, and one of the questions she found most uncertain was whether he in turn ever thought of her with like interest. |