NEVER FORGOTTEN.

PART THE SECOND.

CHAPTER XXXV. A REMONSTRANCE.

We are now hurrying on to a crisis. It was
better, indeed, that it should come to a crisis;
for the demoralisation in the Fermor household
was growing day by day. With such cold defiance,
such quick temper, on both sides, it was
not improbable that, to gain an advantage in the
struggle, and secure a humiliation for an antagonist,
one or other might forget decency, and
make a confidant of that cruel gossip, the
Public.

One night, Fermor, just going out, was summoned
down to see a gentleman "in the hall."
He came down impatiently, with the words, " I
am busy. I really have no time now," on his
lips. It was Hanbury. " Well," said he, coldly
to him, " what is it now?"

"Can I speak to you?" said the other,
earnestly; " five minutes is all I want. It is
about yourself, too."

The servant was standing by, and hindered
Fermor's angry answer.

"Go down, sir," he said. " What are you waiting
there for?"

"Come in here a moment," said Hanbury; " I
will not detain you. It is something that you
should know."

"Now," said Fermor, as he closed the door, " I
thought, on the last occasion, I had made myself
understood. If this is on the same topic—"

"It is on the same topic," said Hanbury,
firmly. " It is not for me to mind how you take
it. To-day I have heard something which it is
right you should know. Something which it
would be a crime to conceal!"

This word stopped something in the nature of
a protest against " interference."

"Ah, Fermor, get rid of this wretched sensitiveness,
this terrible pride, which is destroying
you. What infatuation is this that prevents you
from listening to those who mean well, and would
do you no harm? I must speak plainly to you;
especially as I must tell you that the world is
speaking plainly of you, and is busy with your
name and affairs. O, Fermor, do listen to me
now, without any of this absurd feeling. It is a
friend who speaks to you."

This tone actually took Fermor's breath away.
He had no reply to make.

"It is about Romaine and Mrs. Fermor," he
said. "It should be looked to at once. I
will tell you what occurred to-day. I was at
our club, looking over a paper (though I don't
care much for news), and there was a lot
of young fellows about an old red-faced officer
who was telling them stories. I heard the name
of Romaine, and could not help listening. The
old man was telling them some of his horrible old
stories, and lamenting what he called the ' decay
of fellows' at this day, and said that Romaine
was the only man that had a spark of ' pluck.'
And then one of the young fellows, whom I knew
a little— and think of this, Fermor, in a public
room!—laughed, and said that he knew what he
was after, and that in a short time —You can
guess, Fermor. And the old man laughed and
enjoyed it. O, Fermor, you would not take my
advice! I warned you in time."

The feeling in Fermor's heart was still not
mortification, but anger, bitter anger, at one, a
mere untrained fool like Hanbury, setting up to
be wise and worldly. " You always come charged
with good news," he said. " And how kind of
my friends there to allow my concerns to be
spoken of in a public place that way. I suppose
that was friendly, eh?"

He had now caught Hanbury.

"I knew the man," said Hanbury, calmly,
"and I went up to him, and asked him, before
the others, had he authority for what he said, or
did he merely repeat what he heard? He said it
was merely a vulgar town story that 'some
fellow' had told. I said that I knew both
Romaine and you and the lady, that the whole
was perfectly false from beginning, and that I
knew it, and had opportunities of knowing.
That Mr. Romaine was a friend—alone in the
world with few friends— and that it was cruel and
wicked to put such a construction on what was
only good nature and kindness." (John Hanbury
did not tell all he had really said or done, or how
calmly and temperately he had brought the
"young fellow" to account before the rest. How
he had quietly asked him, was he sure about his
information, and did he think it right to bring a
mere vulgar rumour like that to the public room,
and injure an innocent young girl in that way?
"For my part," said John Hanbury, " I know all