“Yes, he was. You see, my daughter, how improper it was of you to address your father as you did. He was agreeing with you entirely. We haven’t had as much murder as we’d like; you and Charitas and Menelaus, the three props of society in our neighbourhood, all wish to kill Adraste and her baby. I am holding out against you for their right to live. But I’m not committed to keeping the girl here, if another arrangement would be better for her. I can think of one such arrangement. She ought to be with Damastor. If Charitas will tell us where she has sent Damastor, I’ll send Adraste there at once.”

“She’ll never tell you!”

“Probably not, but I can’t see why she won’t, daughter. I’m no judge, you will say, but the kind of respectability that recommends itself to me, would send the girl to her lover, and permit them to marry. You approve of marriage? That’s what these young people want.”

“I never thought of that,” said Menelaus, “but it’s an excellent suggestion. If we could get them married—and away from here—I’d say we were well out of a bad business. I wonder if it could be arranged?”

“Very simply,” said Helen. “Hermione has the confidence of Charitas, it seems. I’ll keep out of the negotiations. Let Hermione go to Charitas, as from you, with the promise that if she will tell us where the boy is, we will send Adraste there, at our own cost, see that they are honourably married, and give them enough to start life on together, in some distant place where no gossip will attach to them.”

“That’s the thing!” said Menelaus. “I’ll do that.”

“But can’t you understand Charitas’ point of view?” said Hermione. “She wants to separate them for ever. Adraste will never make Damastor happy—a woman of that kind; if Charitas had wished to see him married to her, she wouldn’t have sent him away. Your plan would be admirable for Adraste, but it would do nothing for Charitas.”

“Wouldn’t it do something for Damastor?” said Helen. “He loves the girl, and I presume Charitas loves him somewhat—it can’t be all a question of wounded pride.”

“Charitas will never tell where Damastor is,” said Hermione.

“I’m half afraid you are right,” said Helen, “but I want you to carry the message from your father, just the same. We shall have done what we could for the young people, and we shall have assumed responsibility for what happened in our home, though I personally do not condemn Adraste and Damastor as you do. If Charitas won’t meet us half-way, the responsibility will then be hers, and you will have an opportunity to learn something of human nature.”