\"Yes，fled，mychild。\"Andsheseizedherdaughterinherarms，andpressedhercloselytoherbosom。\"Cowardsalwaysfly。\"
\"IsMr。O\'Brienacoward？\"Idaasked。
\"Yes，acoward，averycoward！Andhehasfledbeforetheglanceofanhonestwoman\'seye。Come，Mrs。Mackinnon，shallwegobacktothecity？Iamsorrythattheamusementofthedayshouldhavereceivedthischeck。\"Andshewalkedforwardtothecarriageandtookherplaceinitwithanairthatshowedthatshewasproudofthewayinwhichshehadconductedherself。
\"Sheisalittleconceitedaboutitafterall，\"saidthatunmarriedlady。\"IfpoorMr。O\'BrienhadnotshownsomuchprematureanxietywithreferencetothatlittlejourneytoNaples，thingsmighthavegonequietlyafterall。\"
Buttheunmarriedladywaswronginherjudgment。Mrs。Talboyswasproudandconceitedinthematter，butnotproudofhavingexcitedtheadmirationofherIrishlover。Shewasproudofherownsubsequentconduct，andgaveherselfcreditforcomingoutstronglyasanoble-mindedmatron。\"Ibelieveshethinks，\"saidMrs。
Mackinnon，\"thathervirtueisquiteSpartanandunique；andifsheremainsinRomeshe\'llboastofitthroughthewholewinter。\"
\"Ifshedoes，shemaybecertainthatO\'Brienwilldothesame，\"
saidMackinnon。\"Andinspiteofhishavingfledfromthefield，itisuponthecardsthathemaygetthebestofit。Mrs。Talboysisaveryexcellentwoman。Shehasprovedherexcellencebeyondadoubt。
But，nevertheless，sheissusceptibleofridicule。\"
WeallfeltalittleanxietytohearO\'Brien\'saccountofthematter，andafterhavingdepositedtheladiesattheirhomes，MackinnonandIwentofftohislodgings。Atfirsthewasdeniedtous，butafterawhilewegothisservanttoacknowledgethathewasathome，andthenwemadeourwayuptohisstudio。Wefoundhimseatedbehindahalf-formedmodel，orratheramerelumpofclaypunchedintosomethingresemblingtheshapeofahead，withapipeinhismouthandabitofstickinhishand。Hewaspretendingtowork，thoughwebothknewthatitwasoutofthequestionthatheshoulddoanythinginhispresentframeofmind。
\"IthinkIheardmyservanttellyouthatIwasnotathome，\"saidhe。
\"Yes，hedid，\"saidMackinnon，\"andwouldhavesworntoittooifwewouldhavelethim。Come，don\'tpretendtobesurly。\"
\"Iamverybusy，Mr。Mackinnon。\"
\"CompletingyourheadofMrs。Talboys，Isuppose，beforeyoustartforNaples。\"
\"Youdon\'tmeantosaythatshehastoldyouallaboutit，\"andheturnedawayfromhiswork，andlookedupintoourfaceswithacomicalexpression，halfoffunandhalfofdespair。
\"Everywordofit，\"saidI。\"Whenyouwantaladytotravelwithyou，neveraskhertogetupsoearlyinwinter。\"
\"But，O\'Brien，howcouldyoubesuchanass？\"saidMackinnon。\"Asithasturnedout，thereisnoverygreatharmdone。Youhaveinsultedarespectablemiddle-agedwoman，themotherofafamily，andthewifeofageneralofficer，andthereisanendofit；
unless，indeed，thegeneralofficershouldcomeoutfromEnglandtocallyoutoaccount。\"
\"Heiswelcome，\"saidO\'Brien，haughtily。
\"Nodoubt，mydearfellow，\"saidMackinnon；\"thatwouldbeadignifiedandpleasantendingtotheaffair。ButwhatIwanttoknowisthis；whatwouldyouhavedoneifshehadagreedtogo？\"
\"Henevercalculatedonthepossibilityofsuchacontingency，\"saidI。
\"Byheavens，then，Ithoughtshewouldlikeit，\"saidhe。
\"Andtoobligeheryouwerecontenttosacrificeyourself，\"saidMackinnon。
\"Well，thatwasjustit。Whatthedeuceisafellowtodowhenawomangoesoninthatway。Shetoldmedownthere，upontheoldracecourseyouknow，thatmatrimonialbondsweremadeforfoolsandslaves。WhatwasItosupposethatshemeantbythat？Buttomakeallsure，IaskedherwhatsortofafellowtheGeneralwas。\'Dearoldman，\'shesaid，claspingherhandstogether。\'Hemight，youknow，havebeenmyfather。\'\'Iwishhewere，\'saidI，\'becausethenyou\'dbefree。\'\'Iamfree，\'saidshe，stampingontheground，andlookingupatmeasmuchastosaythatshecaredfornoone。
\'Then，\'saidI，\'acceptallthatisleftoftheheartofWenceslausO\'Brien，\'andIthrewmyselfbeforeherinherpath。\'Hand，\'saidI，\'Ihavenonetogive，butthebloodwhichrunsredthroughmyveinsisdescendedfromadoublelineofkings。\'Isaidthatbecausesheisalwaysfondofridingahighhorse。Ihadgottencloseunderthewall，sothatnoneofyoushouldseemefromthetower。\"
\"Andwhatanswerdidshemake？\"saidMackinnon。
\"WhyshewaspleasedasPunch；gavemebothherhands，anddeclaredthatwewouldbefriendsforever。Itismybelief，Mackinnon，thatthatwomanneverheardanythingofthekindbefore。TheGeneral，nodoubt，diditbyletter。\"
\"Andhowwasitthatshechangedhermind？\"
\"Why；Igotup，putmyarmroundherwaist，andtoldherthatwewouldbeofftoNaples。I\'mblestifshedidn\'tgivemeaknockintheribsthatnearlysentmebackwards。Shetookmybreathaway，sothatIcouldn\'tspeaktoher。\"
\"Andthen\"
\"Oh，therewasnothingmore。OfcourseIsawhowitwas。SoshewalkedoffonewayandItheother。OnthewholeIconsiderthatI
amwelloutofit。\"
\"AndsodoI，\"saidMackinnon，verygravely。\"Butifyouwillallowmetogiveyoumyadvice，Iwouldsuggestthatitwouldbewelltoavoidsuchmistakesinfuture。\"
\"Uponmyword，\"saidO\'Brien，excusinghimself，\"Idon\'tknowwhatamanistodoundersuchcircumstances。IgiveyoumyhonourthatI
diditalltoobligeher。\"
WethendecidedthatMackinnonshouldconveytotheinjuredladythehumbleapologyofherlateadmirer。Itwassettledthatnodetailedexcusesshouldbemade。Itshouldbelefttohertoconsiderwhetherthedeedwhichhadbeendonemighthavebeenoccasionedbywine，orbythefollyofamoment，orbyherownindiscreetenthusiasm。Noonebutthetwowerepresentwhenthemessagewasgiven，andthereforewewereobligedtotrusttoMackinnon\'saccuracyforanaccountofit。
Shestoodonveryhighgroundindeed，hesaid，atfirstrefusingtohearanythingthathehadtosayonthematter。\"Thefoolishyoungman，\"shedeclared，\"wasbelowherangerandbelowhercontempt。\"
\"HeisnotthefirstIrishmanthathasbeenmadeindiscreetbybeauty，\"saidMackinnon。
\"Atrucetothat，\"shereplied，wavingherhandwithanairofassumedmajesty。\"Theincident，contemptibleasitis，hasbeenunpleasanttome。ItwillnecessitatemywithdrawalfromRome。\"
\"Oh，no，Mrs。Talboys；thatwillbemakingtoomuchofhim。\"
\"Thegreatestherothatlives，\"sheanswered，\"mayhavehishousemadeuninhabitablebyaverysmallinsect。\"Mackinnonsworethatthosewereherownwords。ConsequentlyasobriquetwasattachedtoO\'Brienofwhichhebynomeansapproved。AndfromthatdaywealwayscalledMrs。Talboys\"thehero。\"
Mackinnonprevailedatlastwithher，andshedidnotleaveRome。
ShewaseveninducedtosendamessagetoO\'Brien，conveyingherforgiveness。TheyshookhandstogetherwithgreateclatinMrs。
Mackinnon\'sdrawing-room；butIdonotsupposethatsheeveragainofferedtohimsympathyonthescoreofhismatrimonialtroubles。