He was
grave, however, when Kitty spoke to him privately of what Madame had
said to her, and asked her if she would not like to accept Mrs
Villiers' offer. Kitty, however, said she would remain on the stage,
and as Wopples was to see Madame Midas next day, made him promise he
would say nothing about having found her on the streets, or of her
living with a lover. Wopples, who thoroughly understood the girl's
desire to hide her shame from her friends, agreed to this, so Kitty
went to bed confident that she had saved Vandeloup's name from being
dragged into the affair.
Wopples saw Madame next day, and a long talk ensued, which ended in
Kitty agreeing to stay six months with Mrs Villiers, and then, if
she still wished to continue on the stage, she was to go to Mr
Wopples. On the other hand, in consideration of Wopples losing the
services of Kitty, Madame promised that next year she would give him
sufficient money to start a theatre in Melbourne. So both parted
mutually satisfied. Kitty made presents to all the family, who were
very sorry to part with her, and then took up her abode with Mrs
Villiers, as a kind of adopted daughter, and was quite prepared to
play her part in the comedy of fashion.
So Madame Midas had been near the truth, yet never discovered it,
and sent a letter to Vandeloup asking him to come to dinner and meet
an old friend, little thinking how old and intimate a friend Kitty
was to the young man.
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