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rand； I was shown into the secretary's room。
Mr。 Helmsley heard what I had to say civilly enough； expressing； however； grave doubts whether his lordship would do anything for me； the demands on his purse being insupportably numerous already。 However； he undertook to place my list before his employer； and to let me know the result。 〃Where are you staying in London？〃 he asked。 I answered： 〃With my son…in…law； Mr。 Marmaduke Falmer。〃 Before I could add the address； the secretary started to his feet and tossed my list back to me across the table in the most uncivil manner。
〃Upon my word；〃 says he； 〃your assurance exceeds anything I ever heard of。 Your son…in…law is concerned in the robbery of her ladyship's diamond braceletthe discovery was made not an hour ago。 Leave the house； sir； and consider yourself lucky that I have no instructions to give you in charge to the police。〃 I protested against this unprovoked outrage； with a violence of language which I would rather not recall。 As a minister； I ought； under every provocation； to have preserved my self…control。
The one thing to do next was to drive back to my unhappy daughter。
Her guilty husband was with her。 I was too angry to wait for a fit opportunity of speaking。 The Christian humility which I have all my life cultivated as the first of virtues sank； as it were； from under me。 In terms of burning indignation I told them what had happened。 The result was too distressing to be described。 It ended in Felicia giving her husband back the bracelet。 The hardened reprobate laughed at us。 〃Wait till I have seen his lordship and Mr。 Helmsley；〃 he said； and left the house。
Does he mean to escape to foreign parts？ Felicia； womanlike； believes in him still； she is quite convinced that there must be some mistake。 I am myself in hourly expectation of the arrival of the police。
With gratitude to Providence； I note before going to bed the harmless termination of the affair of the braceletso far as Marmaduke is concerned。 The agent who sold him the jewel has been forced to come forward and state the truth。 His lordship's wife is the guilty person； the bracelet was hersa present from her husband。 Harassed by debts that she dare not acknowledge； she sold it； my lord discovered that it was gone； and in terror of his anger the wretched woman took refuge in a lie。
She declared that the bracelet had been stolen from her。 Asked for the name of the thief； the reckless woman （having no other name in her mind at the moment） mentioned the man who had innocently bought the jewel of her agent； otherwise my unfortunate son…in…law。 Oh； the profligacy of the modern Babylon！ It was well I went to the secretary when I did or we should really have had the police in the house。 Marmaduke found them in consultation over the supposed robbery； asking for his address。 There was a dreadful exhibition of violence and recrimination at his lordship's residence： in the end he re…purchased the bracelet。 My son…in…law's money has been returned to him； and Mr。 Helmsley has sent me a written apology。
In a worldly sense； this would； I suppose； be called a satisfactory ending。
It is not so to my mind。 I freely admit that I too hastily distrusted Marmaduke； but am I； on that account； to give him back immediately the place which he once occupied in my esteem？ Again this evening he mysteriously quitted the house； leaving me alone with Felicia； and giving no better excuse for his conduct than that he had an engagement。 And this when I have a double claim on his consideration； as his father…in…law and his guest。
September 11th。The day began well enough。 At breakfast； Marmaduke spoke feelingly of the unhappy result of my visit to his lordship； and asked me to let him look at the list of repairs。 〃It is just useless to expect anything from my lord； after what has happened；〃 I said。 〃Besides； Mr。 Helmsley gave me no hope when I stated my case to him。〃 Marmaduke still held out his hand for the list。 〃Let me try if I can get some subscribers；〃 he replied。 This was kindly meant； at any rate。 I gave him the list； and I began to recover some of my old friendly feeling for him。 Alas！ the little gleam of tranquillity proved to be of short duration。
We made out our plans for the day pleasantly enough。 The check came when Felicia spoke next of our plans for the evening。 〃My father has only four days more to pass with us；〃 she said to her husband。 〃Surely you won't go out again to…night； and leave him？〃 Marmaduke's face clouded over directly； he looked embarrassed and annoyed。 I sat perfectly silent； leaving them to settle it by themselves。
〃You will stay with us this evening； won't you？〃 says Felicia。 No： he was not free for the evening。 〃What！ another engagement？ Surely you can put it off？〃 No； impossible to put it off。 〃Is it a ball； or a party of some kind？〃 No answer； he changed the subjec the offered Felicia the money repaid to him for the bracelet。 〃Buy one for yourself； my dear； this time。〃 Felicia handed him back the money； rather too haughtily； perhaps。 〃I don't want a bracelet；〃 she said； 〃I want your company in the evening。〃
He jumped up； good…tempered as he was； in something very like a ragethen looked at me； and checked himself on the point （as I believe） of using profane language。 〃This is downright persecution！〃 he burst out； with an angry turn of his head toward his wife。 Felicia got up； in her turn。 〃Your language is an insult to my father and to me！〃 He looked thoroughly staggered at this： it was evidently their first serious quarrel。
Felicia took no notice of him。 〃I will get ready directly； father； and we will go out together。〃 He stopped her as she was leaving the roomrecovering his good temper with a readiness which it pleased me to see。 〃Come； come； Felicia！ We have not quarreled yet； and we won't quarrel now。 Let me off this one time more； and I will devote the next three evenings of your father's visit to him and to you。 Give me a kiss； and make it up。〃 My daughter doesn't do things by halves。 She gave him a dozen kisses； I should thinkand there was a happy end of it。
〃But what shall we do to…morrow evening？〃 says Marmaduke； sitting down by his wife； and patting her hand as it lay in his。
〃Take us somewhere；〃 says she。 Marmaduke laughed。 〃Your father objects to public amusements。 Where does he want to go to？〃 Felicia took up the newspaper。 〃There is an oratorio at Exeter Hall；〃 she said； 〃my father likes music。〃 He turned to me。 〃You don't object to oratorios； sir？〃 〃I don't object to music；〃 I answered； 〃so long as I am not required to enter a theater。〃 Felicia handed the newspaper to me。 〃Speaking of theaters； father； have you read what they say about the new play？ What a pity it can't be given out of a theater！〃 I looked at her in speechless amazement。 She tried to explain herself。 〃The paper says that the new play is a service rendered to the cause of virtue； and that the great actor； Barrymore； has set an example in producing it which deserves the encouragement of all truly religious people。 Do read it； father！〃 I held up my hands in dismay。 My own daughter perverted！ pinning her faith on a newspaper！ speaking； with a perverse expression of interest； of a stage…play