We had shuddered over the gruesome relics of the first and worst catastrophe on the Matterhorn, and were looking in silence upon the primitive portraits of the two younger Englishmen who had lost their lives on that historic occasion.

It appeared that they had both been about the same age as Bob Evers, and I pointed this out to my companion.
It was a particularly obvious remark to make; but Mrs.Lascelles turned her face quickly to mine, and the colour left it in the half-lit, half-haunted little room, which we happened to have all to ourselves.
"Don't let him go up, Captain Clephane; don't let him, please!" "Do you mean Bob Evers ?" I asked, to gain time while I considered what to say; for the intensity of her manner took me aback.
"You know I do," said Mrs.Lascelles, impatiently; "don't let him go up the Matterhorn to-night, or to-morrow morning, or whenever it is that he means to start." "But, my dear Mrs.Lascelles, who am I to prevent that young gentleman from doing what he likes ?" "I thought you were more or less related ?" "Rather less than more." "But aren't you very intimate with his mother ?" I had to meet a pretty penetrating look.
"I was once." "Well, then, for his mother's sake you ought to do your best to keep him out of danger, Captain Clephane." It was my turn to repay the look which I had just received.

No doubt I did so with only too much interest; no doubt I was equally clumsy of speech; but it was my opportunity, and something or other must be said.
"Quite so, Mrs.Lascelles; and for his mother's sake," said I, "I not only will do, I have already done, my best to keep the lad out of harm's way.

He is the apple of her eye; they are simply all the world to one another.

It would break her heart if anything happened to him--anything--if she were to lose him in any sense of the word." I waited a moment, thinking she would speak, prepared on my side to be as explicit as she pleased; but Mrs.Lascelles only looked at me with her mouth tight shut and her eyes wide open; and I concluded--somewhat uneasily, I will confess--that she saw for herself what I meant.
"As for the Matterhorn," I went on, "that, I believe, is not such a very dangerous exploit in these days.