f his house in town to Everard, now Earl of Romfrey. She begged him briefly not to come until after the funeral, and proposed to give him good reasons for her request at t

m, nor a word to excuse his absence. Cecil was his only supporter. They walked together between the double ranks of bare polls of the tenantry and peasantry, resembling in a fashion old Froissart engravings the earl used to dote on in his boyhood, representing bodies of manacled citizens, whose humbled heads looked like nuts to be cracked, outside the gates of captured French towns, awaiting the disp

enturies had come to an end in him to prove the formula correct. The chro

ellow, and hardly cared to know what his value was, beyond his immediate uses as an instrument to strike with. Beauchamp of Romfrey had been his dream, not Baskelett: and it increased his disgust of Beaucha

don. He was met at the station by Rosamund, and informed

ged for me to go, ma'am?'

l where she had t

ven to the hotel, sayi

was heavily armed ag

so infatuated that you second his amours, in m

pprobation on the fittings of th

ing over the opening ground of a bold statement of facts. 'Madame de Rouaillout has been unwell. She is not yet recovered; she ha

s lucky

's comrade in the w

came

heard Captain Baskelet

since the first day of

ssibly be an im

es to be satisfied, what on

ing of Nevi

hinking of any

this hotel. He left

I bear witne

de your preparations to

re truth,

be anxious about th

dy who would

my house does

a scandal was made b

Winter's night hullabaloos with pretty go

visit. I have not previously presumed to entertain a frie

lied Rosamund's privilege t

ted her?'

her I hoped she wou

be at the house in

er impuls

came

n people for a time: there may have been dom

een so delicate that you had

vil had to submit to the same; and Captain Baskelett took his revenge on th

ave known you were insid

he bounds of habitual reticence to put it to her lord whet

but remarked, 'I am sorr

is the shocking, the unmanly insole

etween him and Nev

lord, I

a weapon of offence only when it is practised by one out of two, she ha

t stays at the Ca

his quarte

. He was obliged to wait, and see, and help

objection to his making t

uld have done, that she may

d into the curtain for them. If he had only been off with her, he would have done the country good service. Here he's a failure and a n

oves

l donkey in our family: I know him. He's not a fellow for abstract morality: I know him. It's bargain against bargain with him; I'll do him tha

has tak

l and pu

ican gentleman the refusal of the bull, and you must sign

agement. I sti

ee Nevil to-n

ologized to you

in requesting me to r

the trick. We should all of us be marching on London at Shrapnel's heels. The pol

always contended, the true case is incurab

ough I haven't seen him foam at the m

an if I were dumb. This I most earnestly say: he is the Nevil Beauchamp who fought for his country, and did not abandon her cause, though he stood ther

rd Romfrey

dispute betwee

oposal to shield you from

ion that I had grown to be past backbiting: and that no man could stand before me to insult and vilify me. But, for a woman in any so-called doubtful position, it seems that the coward will not be wanting to strike her. In quitt

questioning your cond

ng as a boy, is plain matter of fact to him now. He is devoted to you. It was for your sake that he d

himself to s

. On this occasion he wishe

of hints

swer might be easy to her, for she was red, and evi

call distinct.

wo

ard w

won't me

e in which it came, surprised and revolted h

ather meet

id it, she was unaware. To her lord it was an outcry o

leisurely strides, n

figure in her broad black- furred robe. '

that?'

; but I have an enemy who may poison your ear in my abse

und. Speak to the point. Do you mean tha

ce it to Nevil

to upset the country,

thought that it might gives me courage. You have said that to protect a woman everything is permissible. It is your creed, my lord, and because the world, I have heard you say, is unjust and implaca

knot tight enough; perhaps now

who, after a life of dissipation, has been reminded

to fall into i

ad to indicate t

h as I am, as my guest. Knowingly or not, his very clever sister, a good woman, and a friend to husband and wife-a Frenchwoman of the pu

isitive; his eyebrows were lifted

urs. They are not likely to return. I permitte

ey?' said

und b

or that she would have to endure a deadly silence: and she was gathering her own lips in imitation of

you've dishe

forgive me

talked of the condition of the Castle, and with a certain off-hand contempt of the ladies of the family, and Ceci

said Rosamund fervidly, though

quoth

kly, and stooped to her: 'I beg you

! s

tess, always

an imposto

ays, we'

rrow early. Don't chase that family away from the house. Do as you will, but not a word of Nevil to

ossibly to be deluded. They came in copious volumes when Lord Romfrey,

th tears and some natural strength, and therewith her liberty, which she prized? The hateful Cecil, a reminder of whom set her cheeks burning and turned her heart to serpent, had forced her to it. So she honestly conceived, owing to the circumstance of her honestly disl

w, here was the instance. This was accomplished by Lord Romfrey's resolution to make the lady he had learnt to esteem his countess: and more,

Romfrey never took a step without seeing a