"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。