ThetransferrelievedLaphamoftheloadofdebtwhichhewasstilllabouringunder，andgavehimaninterestinthevasterenterpriseoftheyoungermen，whichhehadoncevainlyhopedtograspallinhisownhand。Hebegantotellofthiscoincidenceassomethingverystriking；
andpushingonmoreactivelythespecialbranchofthebusinesslefttohim，hebragged，quiteinhisoldway，ofitsenormousextension。Hisson—in—law，hesaid，waspushingitinMexicoandCentralAmerica：anideathattheyhadoriginallyhadincommon。Well，youngbloodwaswhatwaswantedinathingofthatkind。Now，thosefellowsoutinWestVirginia：allyoung，andaperfectteam！
Forhimself，heownedthathehadmademistakes；hecouldseejustwherethemistakeswere——puthisfingerrightonthem。
Butonethinghecouldsay：hehadbeennoman’senemybuthisown；everydollar，everycenthadgonetopayhisdebts；
hehadcomeoutwithcleanhands。Hesaidallthis，andmuchmore，toMr。Sewellthesummerafterhesoldout，whentheministerandhiswifestoppedatLaphamontheirwayacrossfromtheWhiteMountainstoLakeChamplain；
Laphamhadfoundthemonthecars，andpressedthemtostopoff。
ThereweretimeswhenMrs。Laphamhadasgreatprideintheclean—handednesswithwhichLaphamhadcomeoutashehadhimself，buthersatisfactionwasnotsoconstant。
Atthosetimes，knowingthetemptationshehadresisted，shethoughthimthenoblestandgrandestofmen；butnowomancouldenduretoliveinthesamehousewithaperfecthero，andtherewereothertimeswhensheremindedhimthatifhehadkepthiswordtoheraboutspeculatinginstocks，andhadlookedaftertheinsuranceofhispropertyhalfascarefullyashehadlookedafteracoupleofworthlesswomenwhohadnoearthlyclaimonhim，theywouldnotbewheretheywerenow。Hehumblyadmitteditall，andlefthertothinkofRogersherself。Shedidnotfailtodoso，andthethoughtdidnotfailtorestorehimtohertendernessagain。
Idonotknowhowitisthatclergymenandphysicianskeepfromtellingtheirwivesthesecretsconfidedtothem；
perhapstheycantrusttheirwivestofindthemoutforthemselveswhenevertheywish。SewellhadlaidbeforehiswifethecaseoftheLaphamsaftertheycametoconsultwithhimaboutCorey’sproposaltoPenelope，forhewishedtobeconfirmedinhisbeliefthathehadadvisedthemsoundly；buthehadnotgivenhertheirnames，andhehadnotknownCorey’shimself。Nowhehadnocompunctionsintalkingtheaffairoverwithherwithouttheveilofignorancewhichshehadhithertoassumed，forshedeclaredthatassoonassheheardofCorey’sengagementtoPenelope，thewholethinghadflasheduponher。
\"AndthatnightatdinnerIcouldhavetoldthechildthathewasinlovewithhersisterbythewayhetalkedabouther；Iheardhim；andifshehadnotbeensoblindlyinlovewithhimherself，shewouldhaveknownittoo。
Imustsay，Ican’thelpfeelingasortofcontemptforhersister。\"
\"Oh，butyoumustnot！\"criedSewell。\"Thatiswrong，cruellywrong。I’msurethat’soutofyournovel—reading，mydear，andnotoutofyourheart。Come！Itgrievesmetohearyousaysuchathingasthat。\"
\"Oh，Idaresaythisprettythinghasgotoverit——howmuchcharactershehasgot！——andIsupposeshe’llseesomebodyelse。\"
Sewellhadtocontenthimselfwiththispartialconcession。
Asamatteroffact，unlessitwastheyoungWestVirginianwhohadcomeontoarrangethepurchaseoftheWorks，Irenehadnotyetseenanyone，andwhethertherewaseveranythingbetweenthemisafactthatwouldneedaseparateinquiry。Itiscertainthatattheendoffiveyearsafterthedisappointmentwhichshemetsobravely，shewasstillunmarried。Butshewaseventhenstillveryyoung，andherlifeatLaphamhadbeenvariedbyvisitstotheWest。Ithadalsobeenvariedbyaninvitation，madewiththepolitestresolutionbyMrs。Corey，tovisitinBoston，whichthegirlwasequaltorefusinginthesamespirit。
SewellwasintenselyinterestedinthemoralspectaclewhichLaphampresentedunderhischangedconditions。
TheColonel，whowasmoretheColonelinthosehillsthanhecouldeverhavebeenontheBackBay，kepthimandMrs。Sewellovernightathishouse；andheshowedtheministerminutelyroundtheWorksanddrovehimalloverhisfarm。Forthisexpeditionheemployedalivelycoltwhichhadnotyetcomeofage，andanopenbuggylongpastitsprime，andwasnomoreashamedofhisturnoutthanofthefinesthehadeverdrivenontheMilldam。
Hewasrathershabbyandslovenlyindress，andhehadfallenunkempt，afterthecountryfashion，astohishairandbeardandboots。Thehousewasplain，andwasfurnishedwiththesimplermoveablesoutofthehouseinNankeenSquare。Therewerecertainlyallthenecessaries，butnoluxuriesunlessthestatuesofPrayerandFaithmightbesoconsidered。TheLaphamsnowburnedkerosene，ofcourse，andtheyhadnofurnaceinthewinter；
theseweretheonlyhardshipstheColonelcomplainedof；
buthesaidthatassoonasthecompanygottopayingdividendsagain，——hewasevidentlyproudoftheoutlaysthatforthepresentpreventedthis，——heshouldputinsteamheatandnaphtha—gas。Hespokefreelyofhisfailure，andwithaconfidencethatseemedinspiredbyhisformertrustinSewell，whom，indeed，hetreatedlikeanintimatefriend，ratherthananacquaintanceoftwoorthreemeetings。
HewentbacktohisfirstconnectionwithRogers，andheputbeforeSewellhypotheticallyhisownconclusionsinregardtothematter。
\"Sometimes，\"hesaid，\"Igettothinkingitallover，anditseemstomeIdonewrongaboutRogersinthefirstplace；thatthewholetroublecamefromthat。
Itwasjustlikestartingarowofbricks。Itriedtocatchupandstop’emfromgoing，buttheyalltumbled，oneafteranother。Itwa’n’tinthenatureofthingsthattheycouldbestoppedtillthelastbrickwent。
Idon’ttalkmuchwithmywife，anymoreaboutit；butI
shouldliketoknowhowitstrikesyou。\"
\"Wecantracetheoperationofevilinthephysicalworld，\"
repliedtheminister，\"butI’mmoreandmorepuzzledaboutitinthemoralworld。Thereitscourseisoftensoveryobscure；andoftenitseemstoinvolve，sofaraswecansee，nopenaltywhatever。Andinyourowncase，asIunderstand，youdon’tadmit——youdon’tfeelsure——thatyoueveractuallydidwrongthisman————\"
\"Well，no；Idon’t。Thatistosay————\"
Hedidnotcontinue，andafterawhileSewellsaid，withthatsubtlekindnessofhis，\"Ishouldbeinclinedtothink——nothingcanbethrownquiteaway；anditcan’tbethatoursinsonlyweakenus——thatyourfearofhavingpossiblybehavedselfishlytowardthismankeptyouonyourguard，andstrengthenedyouwhenyouwerebroughtfacetofacewithagreater\"——hewasgoingtosaytemptation，buthesavedLapham’spride，andsaid——\"emergency。\"
\"Doyouthinkso？\"
\"IthinkthattheremaybetruthinwhatIsuggest。\"
\"Well，Idon’tknowwhatitwas，\"saidLapham；\"allI
knowisthatwhenitcametothepoint，althoughIcouldseethatI’dgottogounderunlessIdidit——thatI
couldn’tsellouttothoseEnglishmen，andIcouldn’tletthatmanputhismoneyintomybusinesswithoutItoldhimjusthowthingsstood。\"
End
