Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/325

Rh about; for I see that everybody likes him, and all the mammas smile upon him, and their daughters—and Miss Wilmot herself are only too glad to attract his attention."

"Helen, the world may look upon such offences as venial; a few unprincipled mothers may be anxious to catch a young man of fortune without reference to his character; and thoughtless girls may be glad to win the smiles of so handsome a gentleman, without seeking to penetrate beyond the surface; but you, I trusted were better informed than to see with their eyes, and judge with their perverted judgment. I did not think you would call these venial errors!"

"Nor do I, aunt; but if I hate the sins I love the sinner, and would do much for his salvation, even supposing your suspicions to be mainly true—which I do not and will not believe."

"Well my dear, ask your uncle what sort of company he keeps, and if he is not banded with a set of loose, profligate young men, whom he