"Unaided by religion, the female nature is irresponsible,
unaccountable." Mr. Vialls had been severe of late in his judgment
of women. "Mrs. Quarrier, poor creature, was the victim of
immoderate zeal for worldly ends. She was abetted by her husband and
by Mrs. Wade; they excited her to the point of frenzy, and in the
last moment she--snapped! Mrs. Wade's hysterical display is but
another illustration of the same thing. These women have no support
outside themselves--they have deliberately cast away everything of
the kind."
"Let me exhibit my meaning from another point of view. Consider, Mr.
Blenkinsop"----
Quarrier, in the meantime, was very far from suspecting the
accusation which hostile ingenuity had brought against him. Decency
would in any ease have necessitated his withdrawal for the present
from public affairs, and, in truth, he was stricken down by his
calamity. The Liversedges had brought him to their house; he
transacted no business, and saw no one beyond the family circle. At
the funeral people had thought him strangely unmoved; pride forbade
him to make an exhibition of grief, but in secret he suffered as
only a strong man can. His love for Lilian was the deepest his life
would know. Till now, he had not understood how unspeakably precious
she was to him; for the most part he had treated her with playful
good-humour, seldom, if ever, striking the note of passion in his
speech.
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