No, he had used her, had even exceedingly enjoyed her, before this; but there had been no precedent for that character of a proved necessity to him which she was rapidly taking on.

The immense advantage of this particular clue, moreover, was that she should have now to arrange, alter, to falsify nothing; should have to be but consistently simple and straight.

She asked herself, with concentration, while her back was still presented, what would be the very ideal of that method; after which, the next instant, it had all come to her and she had turned round upon him for the application.

"Fanny Assingham broke it--knowing it had a crack and that it would go if she used sufficient force.

She thought, when I had told her, that that would be the best thing to do with it--thought so from her own point of view.