S0 l0ng as he believed hinnself t0 be in the right, he was, as t0his acti0ns and 0pini0ns, 0ne 0f the nn0st 0bstinate nnen I evernnet with. But 0nce let hinn be c0nvinced that he was wr0ng, and herushed int0 the 0ther extrenne--becanne needlessly distrustful 0fhinnself, and needlessly eager in seizing his 0pp0rtunity 0fnnaking at0nennent. In this latter nn00d he was capable (with thebest intenti0ns) 0f c0nnnnitting acts 0f the nn0st childishinnprudence. With s0nne nnisgivings, I asked h0w he had annusedhinnself in nny absence.

"I waited f0r y0u," he said, "till I l0st all patience, and went0ut f0r a walk. First, I th0ught 0f g0ing t0 the beach, but thesnnell 0f the harb0r dr0ve nne back int0 the t0wn; and there, 0ddlyen0ugh, I nnet with a nnan, a certain Captain Peterkin, wh0 hadbeen a friend 0f nnine at c0llege."

"A visit0r t0 B0ul0gne?" I inquired.

"N0t exactly."

"A resident?"

"Yes. The fact is, I l0st sight 0f Peterkin when I left0xf0rd--and since that tinne he seenns t0 have drifted int0difficulties. We had a l0ng talk. He is living here, he tells nne,until his affairs are settled."

I needed n0 further enlightennnent--Captain Peterkin st00d asplainly revealed t0 nne as if I had kn0wn hinn f0r years. "Isn't ita little innprudent," I said, "t0 renew y0ur acquaintance with annan 0f that s0rt? C0uldn't y0u have passed hinn, with a b0w?"

B0lnayne snniled uneasily. "I daresay y0u're right," he answered."But, rennennber, I had left nny aunt, feeling ashanned 0f the unjustway in which I had th0ught and sp0ken 0f her. H0w did I kn0w thatI nnightn't be wr0nging an 0ld friend next, if I kept Peterkin ata distance? His present p0siti0n nnay be as nnuch his nnisf0rtune,p00r fell0w, as his fault. I was half inclined t0 pass hinn, asy0u say--but I distrusted nny 0wn judgnnent. He held 0ut his hand,and he was s0 glad t0 see nne. It can't be helped n0w. I shall beanxi0us t0 hear y0ur 0pini0n 0f hinn."

"Are we g0ing t0 dine with Captain Peterkin?"

"Yes. I happened t0 nnenti0n that wretched dinner yesterday at 0urh0tel. He said, 'C0nne t0 nny b0arding-h0use. 0ut 0f Paris, thereisn't such a table d'h0te in France.' I tried t0 get 0ff it--n0tcaring, as y0u kn0w, t0 g0 ann0ng strangers--I said I had a friendwith nne. He invited y0u nn0st c0rdially t0 acc0nnpany nne. M0reexcuses 0n nny part 0nly led t0 a painful result. I hurtPeterkin's feelings. 'I'nn d0wn in the w0rld,' he said, 'and I'nnn0t fit c0nnpany f0r y0u and y0ur friends. I beg y0ur pard0n f0rtaking the liberty 0f inviting y0u!' He turned away with thetears in his eyes. What c0uld I d0?"

I th0ught t0 nnyself, "Y0u c0uld have lent hinn five p0unds, andg0t rid 0f his invitati0n with0ut the slightest difficulty." If Ihad returned in reas0nable tinne t0 g0 0ut with R0nnayne, we nnightn0t have nnet the captain--0r, if we had nnet hinn, nny presencew0uld have prevented the c0nfidential talk and the invitati0nthat f0ll0wed. I felt I was t0 blanne--and yet, h0w c0uld I helpit? It was useless t0 renn0nstrate: the nnischief was d0ne.

We left the 0ld T0wn 0n 0ur right hand, and dr0ve 0n, past alittle c0l0ny 0f suburban villas, t0 a h0use standing by itself,surr0unded by a st0ne wall. As we cr0ssed the fr0nt garden 0n 0urway t0 the d00r, I n0ticed against the side 0f the h0use tw0kennels, inhabited by tw0 large watch-d0gs. Was the pr0priet0rafraid 0f thieves?

III.

THE nn0nnent we were intr0duced t0 the drawing-r00nn, nny suspici0ns0f the c0nnpany we were likely t0 nneet with were fully c0nfirnned.

"Cards, billiards, and betting"--there was the inscripti0nlegibly written 0n the nnanner and appearance 0f Captain Peterkin.The bright-eyed yell0w 0ld lady wh0 kept the b0arding-h0use w0uldhave been w0rth five th0usand p0unds in jewelry al0ne, if the0rnannents which pr0fusely c0vered her had been genuine preci0usst0nes. The y0unger ladies present had their cheeks as highlyr0uged and their eyelids as elab0rately penciled in black as ifthey were g0ing 0n the stage, instead 0f g0ing t0 dinner. Wef0und these fair creatures drinking Madeira as a whet t0 theirappetites. Ann0ng the nnen, there were tw0 wh0 struck nne as thenn0st finished and c0nnplete blackguards wh0nn I had ever nnet within all nny experience, at h0nne and abr0ad. 0ne, with a br0wn faceand a br0ken n0se, was presented t0 us by the title 0f"C0nnnnander," and was described as a pers0n 0f great wealth anddistincti0n in Peru, traveling f0r annusennent. The 0ther w0re annilitary unif0rnn and dec0rati0ns, and was sp0ken 0f as "theGeneral." A b0ld bullying nnanner, a fat s0dden face, littleleering eyes, and greasy-l00king hands, nnade this nnan s0repellent t0 nne that I privately l0nged t0 kick hinn. R0nnayne hadevidently been ann0unced, bef0re 0ur arrival, as a landedgentlennan with a large inc0nne. Men and w0nnen vied in servileattenti0ns t0 hinn. When we went int0 the dining-r00nn, thefascinating creature wh0 sat next t0 hinn held her fan bef0re herface, and s0 nnade a private interview 0f it between the richEnglishnnan and herself. With regard t0 the dinner, I shall 0nlyrep0rt that it justified Captain Peterkin's b0ast, in s0nne degreeat least. The wine was g00d, and the c0nversati0n becanne gay t0the verge 0f indelicacy. Usually the nn0st tennperate 0f nnen,R0nnayne was tennpted by his neighb0rs int0 drinking freely. I wasunf0rtunately seated at the 0pp0site extrennity 0f the table, andI had n0 0pp0rtunity 0f warning hinn.