Charles and Lady Mary were never congenial spirits at the best of times, and to-night was not the best.

That lady, after feebly provoking the attack, as usual, sustained some crushing defeats, mainly couched in the language of Scripture, which was, as she felt with Christian indignation, turning her own favorite weapon against herself, as possibly Charles thought she deserved, for putting such a weapon to so despicable a use.
"I really don't know," she said, tremulously, afterwards in the drawing-room, "what Charles will come to if he goes on like this.

I don't mind"-- venomously--"his tone towards myself.

That I do not regard; but his entire want of reverence for the Church and apostolic succession; his profane remarks about vestments; in short, his entire attitude towards religion gives me the gravest anxiety." In the dining-room the conversation flagged, and Charles was beginning to wonder whether he could make some excuse and bolt, when a servant came in with a note for him.

It was from the doctor in D----, and ran as follows: "DEAR SIR, "I have just seen (6.30 P.M.) Stephens again.