He did not reply. He was generally overwhelmed with correspondence, and
she had therefore begged him not to do so if the days she named suited
him.
Up to this time she had never heard Lorrimer mentioned by any one; but
now, suddenly, his name seemed to be in everybody's mouth. She thought
of him incessantly herself, and it was as if the strength of her own
mind compelled all other minds to think of him while she was present,
and to yield to her will and tell her all they knew. For, curiously
enough, she had begun to want to know about him. I call it curious,
because she was so confiding so unsuspicious, and also so penetrating,
she never seemed to care to know more of people than she learnt from
intercourse with them. But with regard to Lorrimer, she had evidently
begun to distrust her own judgment, which is significant.
One night, at a dinner-party, she was thinking of a gratuitous piece of
information an old woman, who brought her some milk on one occasion at
the Great Hospital, had given her. Ideala had noticed that the old
woman had a bad cough, and had asked her, in her usual kindly way, if
she were subject to it, and what she did for it, remarking that the
north country air was trying to people with delicate chests, and warmer
clothing and greater care were more necessary there than in the south;
and thereupon the old woman had launched forth, as such people will
upon the slightest provocation, with minute details of her own
sufferings, and the sufferings of all the people she ever knew, from
"the bronchitis" during the winter and spring, Mr.
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