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pretty； fair…haired girl； with soft grey eyes like the eyes of a dove； she
wore a white tennis dress and a white sailor hat； and at her throat she had
fastened a cluster of those beautiful orange…coloured roses known by the
prosaic name of 'William Allan Richardson。'
If Mr。 Blackthorne grew angry as he watched Sigismund Zaluski； he
grew doubly angry as he watched Gertrude Morley。 He said to himself
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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
that it was intolerable that such a girl should fall a prey to a vain； shallow；
unprincipled foreigner； and in a few minutes he had painted such a dark
picture of poor Sigismund that my strength increased tenfold。
〃Mr。 Blackthorne；〃 said Mrs。 Courtenay； 〃would you take Mrs。 Milton…
Cleave to have an ice？〃
Now Mrs。 Milton…Cleave had always been one of the curate's great
friends。 She was a very pleasant； talkative woman of six…and… thirty； and
a general favourite。 Her popularity was well deserved； for she was
always ready to do a kind action； and often went out of her way to help
people who had not the slightest claim upon her。 There was； however； no
repose about Mrs。 Milton…Cleave； and an acute observer would have
discovered that her universal readiness to help was caused to some extent
by her good heart； but in a very large degree by her restless and over…
active brain。 Her sphere was scarcely large enough for her； she would
have made an excellent head of an orphan asylum or manager of some
large institution； but her quiet country life offered far too narrow a field
for her energy。
〃It is really quite a treat to watch Mr。 Zaluski's play；〃 she remarked as
they walked to the refreshment tent at the other end of the lawn。
〃Certainly foreigners know how to move much better than we do： our
best players look awkward beside them。〃
〃Do you think so？〃 said Mr。 Blackthorne。 〃I am afraid I am full of
prejudice； and consider that no one can equal a true…born Briton。〃
〃And I quite agree with you in the main；〃 said Mrs。 Milton…Cleave。
〃Though I confess that it is rather refreshing to have a little variety。〃
The curate was silent； but his silence merely covered his absorption in
me； and I began to exercise a faint influence through his mind on the mind
of his companion。 This caused her at length to say：
〃I don't think you quite like Mr。 Zaluski。 Do you know much about
him？〃
〃I have met him several times this summer；〃 said the curate； in the tone
of one who could have said much more if he would。
The less satisfying his replies； the more Mrs。 Milton…Cleave's curiosity
grew。
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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
〃Now； tell me candidly；〃 she said at length。 〃Is there not some
mystery about our new neighbour？ Is he quite what he seems to be？〃
〃I fear he is not；〃 said Mr。 Blackthorne； making the admission in a tone
of reluctance； though； to tell the truth； he had been longing to pass me on
for the last five minutes。
〃You mean that he is fast？〃
〃Worse than that；〃 said James Blackthorne； lowering his voice as they
walked down one of the shady garden paths。 〃He is a dangerous；
unprincipled fellow； and into the bargain an avowed Nihilist。 All that is
involved in that word you perhaps scarcely realise。〃
〃Indeed I do；〃 she exclaimed with a shocked expression。 〃I have just
been reading a review of that book by Stepniak。 Their social and
religious views are terrible； free…love； atheism； everything that could bring
ruin on the human race。 Is he indeed a Nihilist？〃
Mr。 Blackthorne's conscience gave him a sharp prick； for he knew that
he ought not to have passed me on。 He tried to pacify it with the excuse
that he had only promised not to tell that Miss Houghton had been his
informant。
〃I assure you；〃 he said impressively； 〃it is only too true。 I know it on
the best authority。〃
And here I cannot help remarking that it has always seemed to me
strange that even experienced women of the world； like Mrs。 Milton…
Cleave； can be so easily hoodwinked by that vague nonentity； 'The Best
Authority。' I am inclined to think that were I a human being I should
retort with an expressive motion of the finger and thumb； 〃Oh； you know
it on the best authority； do you？ Then THAT for your story！〃
However； I thrived wonderfully on the best authority； and it would be
ungrateful of me to speak evil of that powerful though imaginary being。
At right angles with the garden walk down which the two were pacing
there was another wide pathway； bordered by high closely clipped shrubs。
Down this paced a very different couple。 Mrs。 Milton… Cleave caught
sight of them； and so did curate。 Mrs。 Milton…Cleave sighed。
〃I am afraid he is running after Gertrude Morley！ Poor girl！ I hope
she will not be deluded into encouraging him。〃
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And then they made just the same little set remarks about the
desirability of stopping so dangerous an acquaintance； and the
impossibility of interfering with other people's affairs； and the sad
necessity of standing by with folded hands。 I laughed so much over their
hollow little phrases that at last I was fain to beat a retreat； and； prompted
by curiosity to know a little of the truth； I followed Sigismund and
Gertrude down the broad grassy pathway。
I knew of course a good deal of Zaluski's character； because my own
existence and growth pointed out what he was not。 Still； to study a man
by a process of negation is tedious； and though I knew that he was not a
Nihilist； or a free…lover； or an atheist； or an unprincipled fellow with a
dangerous temper； yet I was curious to see him as he really was。
〃If you only knew how happy you had made me！〃 he was saying。
And indeed； as far as happiness went； there was not much to choose
between them；