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