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 say, was revived. People said that she had come over with a few thousands and had spent every penny of it.

“I have no more knowledge than you have,” said Major Blanstock, when I tackled him about it one day at Brackenbury; and then he added with rather a tiresome assumption of virtue: “I didn’t feel it was my affair.” “But you’re her friend,” I said.

“If she gives me an opportunity of proving it.” “And in some ways her sponsor,” I said.

“Oh, I would stand sponsor for her at all times,” he answered. “If your story is true, she will have an opportunity of proving the quality of all her friends.” And there the thing ended, so far as we were concerned. Brackenbury had lent us the house for two months; but, when Consuelo left us after a fortnight, we were not sorry to return the following day to London. I was in terror that Will might commit himself before we had really found out anything; but, the moment these stories began circulating again, he very wisely retired into his shell; I suppose it was because she felt that no progress was being made that Consuelo curtailed her visit. Or, perhaps, with that restlessness of hers, she was simply bored; my feelings would not suffer if she told me that