AsitchancedGodfreydidseeIsobeloncemorebeforeheleftEngland。
ItwasarrangedthathewastoleaveCharingCrossforSwitzerlandearlyonacertainWednesdaymorning。LateontheTuesdayafternoon，Mr。KnightbroughttheladtotheCharingCrossHotel。There，havingtakenhisticketandmadeallothernecessaryarrangements，helefthim，returninghimselftoEssexbytheeveningtrain。Theirfarewellwassomewhatdisconcerting，atanyratetothemindoftheyouth。
Hisfatherretiredwithhimtohisroomatthetopofthehotel，andthereadministeredacarefullypreparedlecturewhichtoucheduponeverypointoftheearnestChristian’sduty，endingupwithadmonitionsonthedangersoftheworld，theflesh，andthedevil，andastrongcautionagainstfrivolous，unbelievingandevil-disposedpersons，especiallysuchaswereyoung，good-lookingandworepetticoats。
“Woman，“saidMr。Knight，“isthegreatdangerofman。SheistheDevil’sfavouritebait，atleasttosomenaturesofwhichIfearyoursisone，thoughthatisstrange，asImaysaythatonthewholeIhavealwaysdislikedthesex，andImarriedforotherreasonsthanthosewhicharesupposedtobecommon。Woman，“hewenton，warmingtohistopic，“althoughallowedupontheworldasanecessaryevil，isapaintedsnare，fullof[hemeantbaitedwith]guile。Youwillrememberthatthefirstwoman，inherwickeddesiretomakehimasbadasherself，temptedAdamuntilheatetheapple，nodoubtunderthreatsofestrangingherselffromhimifhedidnot，andalltheresultsthatcamefromheriniquity，oneofwhichisthatmenhavehadtoworkhardeversince。“
HereGodfreyreflectedthattherewassomeonebehindwhotemptedthewoman，alsothatitisbettertoworkthantositinagardenineternalidleness，andlastly，thatadesireforknowledgeisnaturalandpraiseworthy。HadIsobelbeeninhisplaceshewouldhaveadvancedthesearguments，probablyinvigorousandpointedlanguage，but，havinglearntsomethingofAdam’slesson，hewaswiserandheldhistongue。
“Thereisthispeculiarityaboutwomen，“continuedhisparent，“whichIbegyoualwaystoremember。Itisthatwhenyouthinksheisdoingwhatyouwantandthatshelovesyou，youaredoingwhatshewantsandreallysheonlylovesherself。Thereforeyoumustneverpayattentiontohersoftwords，andespeciallybewareofhertearswhichareherstrongestweapongiventoherbythefatherofdeceittoenablehertomakefoolsofmen。Doyouunderstand？“
“Yes，“saidGodfrey，withhesitation，“but——“thisburstfromhiminvoluntarily，“but，Father，ifyouhavealwaysavoidedwomen，asyousay，howdoyouknowallthisaboutthem？“
ForamomentMr。Knightwasstaggered。Thenherosetotheoccasion。
“Iknowit，Godfrey，byobservingtheeffectoftheirartsonothers，asIhavedonefrequently。“
ApictureroseinGodfrey’smindofhisfatherwithhiseyetokeyholes，orpeeringthroughfenceswithwide-openears，butwiselyhedidnotpursuethesubject。
“Myson，“continuedandendedMr。Knight，“IhavewatchedyoucloselyandIamsurethatyourweaknessliesthisway。Womanisandalwayswillbethesinthatdothsoeasilybesetyou。EvenasachildyoulovedMrs。Parsonsmuchmorethanyoudidme，because，althougholdandunsightly，sheisstillfemale。Whenyouleftyourhomethismorningforthefirsttime，whowasitthatyougrievedtopartfrom？
Notyourcompanions，theotherboys，butMrs。Parsonsagain，whomI
foundyouembracinginthatfoolishfashion，yes，andminglingyourtearswithhers，ofwhichatyourageyoushouldbeashamed。IndeedI
believethatyoufeelbeingseparatedfromthatgarrulousperson，whoisbutaservant，morethanyoudofromme，yourfather。“
HerehewaitedforGodfrey’scontradiction，butasnonecame，wentonwithaddedacerbity：
“Ofthat/anguisinherba/，thatviper，Isobel，whoturnsthepuremilkoftheWordtopoisonandbitesthehandthatfedher，Iwillsaynothing，nothing，“hereGodfreyreflectedthatIsobelwouldhavebeenbetterdescribedasalioninthepathratherthanasasnakeinthegrass“exceptthatIrejoicethatyouaretobeseparatedfromher，andIstrictlyforbidanycommunicationbetweenyouandher，bold，godlessandrevolutionaryassheis。IhadratherseeanymanforwhosewelfareIcared，marriedtoavirtuousandpious-mindedhousemaid，thantothisyounglady，assheiscalled，withallherwealthandposition，whowouldeatouthissoulwithheracidunbeliefandturntheworldupsidedowntosatisfyherfancy。NowImustgoorIshallmissmytrain。Hereisapresentforyou，ofwhichIdirectyoutoreadachaptereveryday，“andheproducedoutofabrownpaperparcelalargeFrenchBible。“ItwillbothdoyougoodandimproveyourknowledgeoftheFrenchtongue。IespeciallycommendyourattentiontocertainversesinProverbsdealingwiththedangersonwhichIhavetouched，thatIhavemarkedwithabluepencil。Doyouhear？“
“Yes，Father。SolomonwroteProverbs，didn’the？“
“Itisbelievedsoandhiswide——experience——givesaspecialvaluetohiscounsel。Youwillwritetomeonceaweek，andwhenyouhavehadyourdinnergettobedatonce。Onnoaccountareyoutogooutintothestreets。Goodbye。“
ThenheplantedafrostykissuponGodfrey’sbrowanddeparted，leavingthatyouthfullofreflections，buttotellthetruth，somewhatrelieved。
ShortlyafterwardsGodfreydescendedtothecoffee-roomandatehisdinner。Hereitwasthattheuniversaltemptressagainstwhomhehadbeenwarnedsourgently，putinafirstappearanceinthepersonofapleasantandelderlyladywhowasseatedalongsideofhim。Notingthisgood-lookingandlonelylad，shebegantotalktohim，andbeingawomanoftheworld，soonknewallabouthim，hisname，whohewas，whitherhewasgoing，etc。WhenshefoundoutthatitwastoLucerne，orratheritsimmediateneighbourhood，shegrewquiteinterested，since，asithappened，she——hernamewasMissOgilvy——hadahousetherewhereshewasaccustomedtospendmostoftheyear。Indeed，shewasreturningbythesametrainthatGodfreywastotakeonthefollowingmorning。
“Weshallbetravellingcompanions，“shesaidwhenshehadexplainedallthis。
“Iamafraidnot，“heanswered，glancingatthemanyevidencesofwealthuponherperson。“Yousee，“headdedcolouring，“Iamgoingsecondandhavetospendaslittleaspossible。IndeedIhavebroughtsomefoodwithmeinabasketsothatIshallnotneedtobuyanymealsatthestations。“
MissOgilvywastouched，butlaughedthematteroffinhercharmingway，sayingthathewouldhavetobecarefulthattheCustom-houseofficersdidnotthinkhewassmugglingsomethinginhisbasket，andassheknewthemallmustlooktohertohelphimifhegotintodifficultiesonthejourney。Thenshewentonchattinganddrawinghimout，andwhatismore，madehimtakeseveralglassesofsomedeliciouswhitewineshewasdrinking。Itwasnotverystrongwine，butexceptforalittlesmallbeer，practicallyGodfreyhadbeenbroughtupasateetotallerforeconomy’ssake，anditwenttohishead。Hebecamerathereffusive；hetoldherofSirJohnBlakeaboutwhomsheseemedtoknoweverythingalready，andsomethingofhisfriendshipwithIsobel，who，headded，wascomingoutthatverynightatafancydressballinLondon。
“Iknow，“saidMissOgilvy，“atthedeLisles’inGrosvenorSquare。I
wasaskedtoit，butcouldnotgoasIamstartingto-morrow。“
Thensheroseandsaid“Good-night，“biddinghimbesurenottobelateforthetrain，asshewouldwanthimtohelpherwithherluggage。
Sooffshewentlookingverycharmingandgracious，althoughshewasoverforty，andleavingGodfreyquiteflatteredbyherattention。
Notknowingwhattodoheputonhishatand，walkingacrossthestationyard，tookhisstandbyagatewaypillarandwatchedthetideofLondonliferollby。Thereheremainedfornearlyanhour，sincethestrangesightfascinatedhimwhohadneverbeenintownbefore，theobjectofsomeattentionfromapoliceman，althoughofthishewasunaware。Alsosomeratheroddladiesspoketohimfromtimetotimewhichhethoughtkindofthem，althoughtheysmeltsopeculiarandseemedtohavepaintupontheirfaces。Inanswertotheinquiriesoftwoofthemastohishealthhetoldthemthathewasverywell。Alsoheagreedcordiallywithathirdastotheextremefinenessofthenight，andassuredafourththathehadnowishtotakeawalkashewasshortlygoingtobed，astatementwhichcausedhertobreakintouncalled-forlaughter。
Itwasatthispointthatthedoubtingpolicemansuggestedthatheshouldmoveon。
“Whereto？“askedGodfreyofthatofficerofthelaw。
“To’ellifyoulike，“hereplied。Thenstruckwithcuriosity，heinquired，“Wheredoyouwanttogoto？Thispillarain’taleaningpost。“
Godfreyconsideredthematterandsaidwiththeverveofslightintoxication：
“Onlytwoplacesappealtomeatpresent，heavennothellasyousuggested，andGrosvenorSquare。Perhaps，however，theyarethesame；
atanyrate，thereisanangelinbothofthem。“
Thepolicemanstaredathimbutcouldfindnofaultwiththeperfectsobrietyofhisappearance。
“Youngluny，Isuspect，“hemutteredtohimself，thensaidaloud：
“Well，theStranddoesn’tleadto’eavensofarasIhavenoticed，rathert’otherwayindeed。ButifyouwantGrosvenorSquare，it’soverthere，“andhewavedhishandvaguelytowardsthewest。
“Thankyou，“saidGodfrey，takingoffhishatwithmuchpoliteness。
“Ifthatisso，IwillleaveheaventoitselfforthepresentandcontentmyselfwithGrosvenorSquare。“
Offhestartedinthedirectionindicated，and，asitseemedtohim，walkedformanymilesthroughalongandbewilderingseriesofbrilliantstreets，continuallyseekingnewinformationastohisgoal。
TheendofitwasthatataboutaquartertoelevenhefoundhimselfsomewhereintheneighbourhoodoftheEdgwareRoad，utterlystrandedasitwere，sincehismindseemedincapableofappreciatingfurtherindicationsoflocality。
“Lookhere，youngman，“saidabreezycostermongertowhomhehadappealed，“Ithinkyouhadbettertakea’ansomforthe’orsewillknowmoreaboutLondonthanyouseemtodo。There’sone’andy。“
“Thatisanidea，“saidGodfrey，andenteredthecab，givingtheaddressofGrosvenorSquare。