Sir Sandford. [Pompously.] Mr Winterfield, I find myself engaged on a peculiarly distasteful task.

Amos.  I have no hope, Sir Sandford, that you will not have strength to discharge it.

Sir Sandford.  We shall object to loftiness of attitude on your part, sir.  You would do well to reflect that we are seeking to restore a young man to a useful and honourable career.

Amos.  You are using very honourable means, Sir Sandford.

Sir Sandford.  I shall protest against any perversion of words, Mr.
Winterfield—­

[The door of the further room opens, and Gertrude comes in, then Agnes.  The latter is in a rusty, ill-fitting, black, stuff, dress; her hair is tightly drawn from her brows; her face is haggard, her eyes are red and sunken.  A strip of linen binds her right hand.]

St. Olpherts. [Speaking into SYBIL’S ear.] The lean witch again!  The witch of the Iron Hall at St. Luke’s.

Sybil. [In a whisper.] Is that the woman?

St. Olpherts.  You see only one of ’em—­there are two there.

[Sandford rises as Agnes comes slowly forward accompanied by Gertrude.  Amos joins Gertrude; and they go together into the adjoining room, Gertrude giving Agnes an appealing look.]

Sir Sandford. [To Agnes.] I—­I am Mr. Lucas Cleeve’s brother—­[with a motion of the hand towards Sybil]—­this is—­this is—­

[He swallows the rest of the announcement and retires to the back of the room, where he stands before the stove.  St. Olpherts strolls away and disappears.]

Sybil. [To Agnes, in a hard, dry, disdainful voice.] I beg that you will sit down. [Agnes sits mechanically, with an expressionless face.] I—­I don’t need to be told that this is a very—­a very unwomanly proceeding on my part.

Sir Sandford.  I can’t regard it in that light, under the peculiar circumstances.

Sybil.  I’d rather you wouldn’t interrupt me, Sandford. [To Agnes.] But the peculiar circumstances, to borrow my brother-in-law’s phrase, are not such as to develop sweetness and modesty, I suppose.

Sir Sandford.  Again I say you wrong yourself there, Sybil—­

Sybil. [Impatiently.] Oh, please let me wrong myself, for a change. [To Agnes.] When my husband left me, and I heard of his association with you, I felt sure that his vanity would soon make an openly irregular life intolerable to him.  Vanity is the cause of a great deal of virtue in men; the vainest are those who like to be thought respectable.

Sir Sandford.  Really, I must protest—­

Sybil.  But Lady Cleeve—­the mother—­and the rest of the family have not had the patience to wait for the fulfilment of my prophecy.  And so I have been forced to undertake this journey.