"
"Good. Does the Italian get anything?"
"He will get all hers. But you know what that is."
"Good. So those are our tactics--to tell no one about
the baby, not even Miss Abbott."
"Most certainly this is the proper course," said Mrs.
Herriton, preferring "course" to "tactics" for Harriet's
sake. "And why ever should we tell Caroline?"
"She was so mixed up in the affair."
"Poor silly creature. The less she hears about it the
better she will be pleased. I have come to be very sorry
for Caroline. She, if any one, has suffered and been
penitent. She burst into tears when I told her a little,
only a little, of that terrible letter. I never saw such
genuine remorse. We must forgive her and forget. Let the
dead bury their dead. We will not trouble her with them."
Philip saw that his mother was scarcely logical. But
there was no advantage in saying so. "Here beginneth the
New Life, then. Do you remember, mother, that was what we
said when we saw Lilia off?"
"Yes, dear; but now it is really a New Life, because we
are all at accord. Then you were still infatuated with
Italy. It may be full of beautiful pictures and churches,
but we cannot judge a country by anything but its men."
"That is quite true," he said sadly. And as the tactics
were now settled, he went out and took an aimless and
solitary walk.
By the time he came back two important things had
happened. Irma had been told of her mother's death, and
Miss Abbott, who had called for a subscription, had been
told also.
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