"But you will, I feel sure, understand," James
continued, "that it is quite impossible for me to
keep any longer in my house a person who has
brought public disgrace upon a name so highly
respected as ours."
"Yes?" Arthur repeated once more.
"Well?" said Julia sharply, closing her fan with
a snap and laying it across her knee. "Are you
going to have the goodness to say anything but
'Yes,' Arthur?"
"You will do as you think best, of course," he
answered slowly, without moving. "It doesn't
matter much either way."
"Doesn't--matter?" James repeated, aghast;
and his wife rose with a laugh.
"Oh, it doesn't matter, doesn't it? Well, James,
I hope you understand now how much gratitude
you may expect in that quarter. I told you what
would come of showing charity to Papist adventuresses
and their----"
"Hush, hush! Never mind that, my dear!"
"It's all nonsense, James; we've had more than
enough of this sentimentality! A love-child setting
himself up as a member of the family--it's
quite time he did know what his mother was!
Why should we be saddled with the child of
a Popish priest's amourettes? There, then--
look!"
She pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of her
pocket and tossed it across the table to Arthur.
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