“Hermione, my dear, I doubt if Orestes is a good influence upon you; he seems to talk—and think—as I should expect of his mother’s child. You never would express such disturbing theories if some one had not imposed them on you; it’s not in your sweet nature. I suspect Orestes. I hope you won’t allow yourself to admire him too much!”

“I doubt if I admire him too much,” said Hermione.

“I’m sure you don’t,” said Charitas. “Really, Hermione, it’s a mystery to me how you have kept your ideas of life so steady and so high, with such extraordinary performances going on around you. You know I’m devoted to your mother, but—you won’t mind my saying what even those who love her best agree in—she’s not an ideal parent. She’s too much preoccupied with love, as if that were the whole thing in life. Common sense goes further, I say. And a little skill to plan and contrive. These people who give way to their feelings, Hermione, they’re simply a burden on the rest of us. Such respect as they have for their instincts and their impulses! I hope you’ll never go in for an emotional career. I’ve always tried to suppress Damastor’s impulses, or at least to keep his mind off them. So far I flatter myself I’ve succeeded. Don’t you think he’s a dear boy, Hermione?”

“I haven’t seen enough of him, Charitas, to know whether he’s a dear boy or not. He’s very civil to me when we meet.”

“Civil? Why, Hermione, he’s devoted to you—he’s really in love with you! There’s no reason why you should be coy about it—with his mother, your old friend. I know his feelings on the subject. That child tells me everything. He often stops in my room to talk after he has been over to see you.”

“What does he tell you, Charitas? Because, he never comes to see me. I haven’t had a word with him for weeks and weeks.”

“Hermione! I feel faint! Damastor! … Don’t tell me that—the boy wouldn’t deceive me.”

“Charitas, I’m sorry to tell you, but once before, or several times, you’ve hinted that Damastor was in love with me. I couldn’t discuss a hint of that sort, but it worried me, because Damastor has shown no interest in me at any time. I didn’t like you to have a false impression.”

“He said—he always says—merely that he is coming over here to see you. I thought he meant—”

“I think he meant he was coming over here,” said Hermione. “I don’t doubt he came. And I don’t doubt he’s infatuated with a girl. There’s more than one woman in this house, Charitas.”

“Don’t tell me it’s—your mother!”