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Wylder's Hand

J. Sheridan Le Fanu

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wylder's Hand, by J. Sherdan !e "anu

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Ttle4 Wylder's Hand

5uthor4 J. Sherdan !e "anu

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/E!5T*>G H@W * (/@-E TH/@AGH THE -*!!5GE @" G+!*>G(E> W*TH 5/ W+!(E/'S!ETTE/ *> + -5!*SE.

*t %as late n the autun, and * %as skng along, through a rchEnglsh county, n a $ostchase, aong tall hedgero%s glded, lke all

the landsca$e, %th the slantng beas of sunset. The road akes a longand easy descent nto the lttle to%n of Gylngden, and do%n ths %e %eregong at an ehlaratng $ace, and the jngle of the &ehcle sounded lkesledgeDbells n y ears, and ts s%ayng and jerkng %ere $leasant andlfeDlke. * fancy * %as n one of those oods %hch, under slarcrcustances, * soetes e$erence stllDDa seDnarcotc ecteent,slent but delghtful.

5n undulatng landsca$e, %th a hoely farstead here and there, and$lenty of old Englsh tber scattered grandly o&er t, etended stlyto y rght on the left the road s o&erto$$ed by asses of nobleforest. The old $ark of Brandon les there, ore than four les fro end

to end. These asses of solen and dscoloured &erdure, the fant buts$lendd lghts, and long fly shado%s, the slo$es and hollo%sDDy eyes%andered o&er the all %th that strange sense of unrealty, and thatnglng of s%eet and btter fancy, %th %hch %e re&st a scenefalar n &ery reote and early chldhood, and %hch has haunted a longnter&al of aturty and absence, lke a roantc re&ere.

5s * looked through the chaseD%ndo%s, e&ery oent $resented soegrou$, or outlne, or hoely object, for years forgotten and no%, %th astrange sur$rse ho% &&dly reebered and ho% affectonately greeted3We dro&e by the sall old house at the left, %th ts double gable and$retty grass garden, and tr ye%s and odern llacs and laburnus,

backed by the grand tber of the $ark. *t %as the $arsonage, and oldbachelor (octor #re%e, the rector, n y nonage, stll stood, n eory,at the door, n hs black shorts and gaters, %th hs hands n hs$ockets, and a $uckered sle on hs hard ruddy countenance, as *a$$roached. He sled lttle on others * bele&e, but al%ays kndly u$one. Ths general lkng for chldren and nstnct of slng on the sone source of the delghtful llusons %hch ake the reebrance ofearly days so lke a drea of Paradse, and g&e us, at startng, suchfalse notons of our &alue.

There %as a lttle farDhared chld $layng on the ground before theste$s as * %hrled by. The old rector had long $assed a%ay the shorts,

gaters, and sleDDa $hanto and nature, %ho had gathered n the $ast,%as $ro&dng for the future.

The $retty llDroad, runnng u$ through /edan's (ell, dank and dark%th tall roantc trees, %as left behnd n another oent and %e %ereno% tra&ersng the hoely and antIue street of the lttle to%n, %th tsIueer sho$s and sold stee$Droofed resdences. A$ #hurchDstreet *contr&ed a $ee$ at the old gray to%er %here the ches hung and as %eturned the corner a glance at the 'Brandon 5rs.' Ho% &ery sall and lo%that $alatal hostelry of y earler recollectons had gro%n3 There %erene% faces at the door. *t %as only t%oDandDt%enty years ago, and * %asthen but ele&en years old. 5 retros$ect of a score of years or so, at

threeDandDthrty, s a uch &aster affar than a uch longer one atffty.

The %hole thng seeed lke yesterday and as * %rte, * o$en y eyes and

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start and cry, 'can t be t%enty, f&eDandDt%enty, aye, by Jo&e3f&eDandDthrty, years snce then' Ho% y days ha&e flo%n3 5nd * thnk%hen another such yesterday shall ha&e arr&ed, %here shall * be

The frst ten years of y lfe %ere longer than all the rest $uttogether, and * thnk %ould contnue to be so %ere y future etended toan anteD>oachan s$an. *t s the frst ten that eerge fro nothng, and

coencng n a $ont, t s durng the that conscousness, eoryDDallthe facultes gro%, and the e$erence of sense s so no&el, cro%ded, andastoundng. *t s ths begnnng at a $ont, and e$andng to the ensedsk of our $resent range of sensuous e$erence, that g&es to the so$rodgous an llusory $ers$ect&e, and akes us n chldhood, easurngfuturty by the, for so %ld and eaggerated an estate of theduraton of huan lfe. But, * beg your $ardon.

y journey %as fro !ondon. When * had reached y lodgngs, after ylttle ecurson u$ the /hne, u$on y table there lay, aong the rest,one letterDDthere generally KsK n an o&erdue bundleDD%hch * &e%ed%th sus$con. * could not n the least tell %hy. *t %as a broadDfaced

letter, of blush co$leon, and had ade nIuston after e n thecountryDDhad asked for e at ueen's "olkstone and, K&sedK by ycousn, had $resented tself at the "rars, n Shro$shre, and thence$roceeded by Sr Harry's drecton Lthere %as the autogra$hM to >oltonHall thence agan to *lchester, %hence y fery and decs&e old auntsent t straght back to y cousn, %th a %hsk of her $en %hch seeedto say, 'Ho% the $lague can * tell %here the $u$$y sDD'ts yourbusness, Sr, not ne, to fnd h out3' 5nd so y cousn des$atched tto y headDIuarters n to%n, %here fro the table t looked u$ n yface, %th a broad red seal, and a countenance scarred and arred allo&er %th &arous $ostDarks, erasures, and trans&erse drectons, thescars and furro%s of dsa$$ontent and ad&enture.

*t had not a good countenance, soeho%. The orgnal lnes %ere not$re$ossessng. The hand%rtng * kne% as one soetes kno%s a face,%thout beng able to reeber %ho the $lague t belongs to but, stll,%th an un$leasant assocaton about t. * eaned t carefully, andlad t do%n uno$ened. * %ent through halfDaDdoNen others, and recurredto t, and $uNNled o&er ts eteror agan, and agan $ost$oned %hat *fanced %ould $ro&e a dsagreeable dsco&ery and ths ha$$ened e&ery no%and agan, untl * had Iute ehausted y budget, and then * dd o$en t,and looked straght to the sgnature.

'Pooh3 ark Wylder,' * eclaed, a good deal rele&ed.

ark Wylder3 +es, aster ark could not hurt KeK. There %as nothngabout h to ecte the least uneasness on the contrary, * bele&e helked e as %ell as he %as ca$able of lkng anybody, and t %as no%se&en years snce %e had et.

* ha&e often snce thought u$on the odd sensaton %th %hch * hestatedo&er hs uno$ened letter and no%, reeberng ho% the breakng of thatseal resebled, n y lfe, the breakng o$en of a $ortal through %hch *entered a labyrnth, or rather a catacob, %here for any days * gro$edand stubled, lookng for lght, and %as, n a anner, lost, hearngstrange sounds, %tnessng $erfectly strange sghts, and, at last,

arr&ng at a dreadful chaberDDa sad sort of su$erstton steals o&ere.

* had then been hs %orkng junor n the cause of Wylder K&.K Trustees

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of Brandon, norDD(orcas Brandon, hs o%n cousn. There %as aco$lcated cousnsh$ aong these Brandons, Wylders, and!akesDDnetrcable nterarrages, %hch, f&e years ago, before *renounced the bar, * had at y fngers' ends, but %hch had no% rela$sednto haNe. There ust ha&e been soe danable tant n the blood of thecoon ancestorDDa s$ce of the nsane and the dabolcal. They %ere anllDcondtoned raceDDthat s to say, e&ery no% and then there eerged a

screant, %th a $retty e&dent &en of adness. There %as Sr JonathanBrandon, for nstance, %ho ran hs o%n ne$he% through the lungs n a duelfought n a $aroys of #encan jealousy and after%ards shot hscoachan dead u$on the bo through hs coachD%ndo%, and fnally ded n-enna, %hther he had absconded, of a $keDthrust rece&ed fro a sentryn a bra%l.

The Wylders had not uch to boast of, e&en n contrast %th that %ckedlne. They had $roduced ther aden and &llans, too and there hadbeen freIuent nterarragesDDnot &ery often ha$$y. There had been anyla%suts, freIuent dsnhertngs, and e&en %orse dongs. The Wylders ofBrandon a$$ear &ery early n hstory and the Wylder ars, %th ther

legend, 'resurga,' stands n bold relef o&er the great door of BrandonHall. So there %ere Wylders of Brandon, and Brandons of Brandon. *n onegeneraton, a Wylder llDusng hs %fe and hatng hs chldren, %ouldcut the all off, and send the estate boundng back agan to theBrandons. The net generaton or t%o %ould ause thesel&es %th ala%sut, untl the old Brandon ty$e rea$$eared n soe bachelor brotheror uncle, %th a JeNebel on hs left hand, and an attorney on hs rght,and, $resto3 the estates %ere back agan %th the Wylders.

5 'stateent of ttle' s usually a dry affar. But that of the dynastyof Brandon Hall %as a truculent roance. Ther &ery '%lls' %ere s$ced%th the de&lent of the 'testators,' and abounded n nsnuatons and

e&en language %hch %ere scandalous.

Here s ark Wylder's letter4DD

'(E5/ #H5/!ESDD@f course you ha&e heard of y good luck, and ho% knd$oor (ckeDDfro %ho * ne&er e$ected anythngDD$ro&ed at last. *t %asa great %ndfall for a $oor de&l lke e but, after all, t %as onlyrght, for t ought ne&er to ha&e been hs at all. * %ent do%n and took$ossesson on the Cth, the tenants &ery glad, and so they ght %ell befor, bet%een oursel&es, (cke, $oor fello%, %as not al%ays $leasant todeal %th. He let the roof all out of re$ar, and cotted %aste besden tber he had no rght to n lfe, as * a told but that don't

sgnfy uch, only the house %ll cost e a $retty $enny to get t ntoorder and furnsh. The rental s f&e thousand aDyear and soe hundreds,and the rents can be got u$ a btDDso !arkn tells e. (o you kno%anythng of h He says he dd busness for your uncle once. He sees acle&er fello%DDa bt too cle&er, $erha$sDDand %as too uch aster here, *sus$ect, n $oor (cke's regn. Tell e all you can ake out about h.*t s a long te snce * sa% you, #harles *' gro%n bro%n, and great%hskers. * et $oor (onckDD%hat an ass that cha$ sDDbut he dd notkno% e tll * ntroduced yself, so * ust be a good deal changed. @ursh$ %as at alta %hen * got the letter. * %as sck of the ser&ce, andno %onder4 a leutenantDDand there lkely to stck all y days. Sonths, last year, on the 5frcan coast, %atchng sla&ersDDthnk of that3

* had a long yarn fro the &scountDDad&ce, and that sort of thng. * donot thnk he s a year older than *, but takes ars because he's atrustee. But * only laugh at trfles that %ould ha&e rled e once. So *%rote h a yarn n return, and dre% t uncoon ld. 5nd he has been

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useful to e and * thnk atters are $retty %ell arranged to dsa$$ontthe knd ntenton of good Ancle WylderDDthe brute he hated y father,but that %as no reason to $ersecute e, and * but an nfant, alost, %henhe ded, dDD h. Well, you kno% he left Brandon %th soe charges to y#ousn (orcas. She s a su$erbly fne grl. @ur sh$ %as at >a$les %henshe %as there t%o years ago and * sa% a good deal of her. @f course t%as not to be thought of then but atters are Iute dfferent, you kno%,

no%, and the &scount, %ho s a &ery sensble fello% n the an, sa% tat once. +ou see, the old brute eant to lea&e her a lfe estate but tdoes not aount to that, though t %on't beneft e, for he settled that%hen * de t shall go to hs rght hersDDthat %ll be to y son, f *e&er ha&e one. So ss (orcas ust $ack, and turn out %hene&er * de,that s, f * sl$ y cable frst. !arkn told e thsDDand * took ano$nonDDand found t s so and the &scount seeng t, agreed the bestthng for her as %ell as e %ould be, %e should arry. She s a%deDa%ake young lady, and nothng the %orse for that4 *' a bt that %ayyself. 5nd so &ery lttle courtsh$ has suffced. She s a s$lenddbeauty, and %hen you see her you'll say any fello% ght be $roud of sucha brde and so * a. 5nd no%, dear #harle, you ha&e t all. *t %ll

take $lace soe%here about the t%entyDfourth of net onth and you ustcoe do%n by the frst, f you can. (on't dsa$$ont. * %ant you for bestan, aybe and besdes, * %ould lke to talk to you about soe thngsthey %ant e to do n the settleents, and you %ere al%ays a longDheadedfello%4 so $ray don't refuse.

'(ear #harle, e&er ost sncerely,

'+our old "rend,

'5/ W+!(E/.

'P.S.DD* stay at the Brandon 5rs n the to%n, untl after the arrageand then you can ha&e a roo at the Hall, and ca$tal shootng %hen %ereturn, %hch %ll be n a fortnght after.'

* can't say that Wylder %as an old KfrendK. But he %as certanly one ofthe oldest and ost ntate acIuantances * had. We had been for nearlythree years at school together and %hen hs sh$ cae to England, etfreIuently and t%ce, %hen he %as on lea&e, %e had been for onthstogether under the sae roof and had for soe years ke$t u$ a regularcorres$ondence, %hch frst gre% desultory, and fnally, as anhoodsu$er&ened, ded out. The $lan truth s, * dd not K&eryK uch lke h.

Then there %as that beautful a$athetc (orcas Brandon. Where s thelaggard so dull as to e$erence no $leasng flutter at hs heart nantc$aton of eetng a $erfect beauty n a country house. * %asroantc, lke e&ery other youngsh fello% %ho s not a $reaturecurudgeon and there %as soethng ndefntely $leasant n theconscousness that, although a betrothed brde, the young lady stll %asfancy free4 not a bt n lo&e. *t %as but a arrage of con&enence, %thtgatons. 5nd so there ho&ered n y curosty soe lttle flcker ofegotstc roance, %hch hel$ed to rouse y s$rts, and s$ur e on toacton.

#H5PTE/ **.

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*> WH*#H * E>TE/ THE (/5W*>GD/@@.

* %as no% a$$roachng Brandon Hall less than ten nutes ore %ould sete do%n at ts doorDste$s. The stff fgure of rs. arston, the oldhousekee$er, $ale and austere, n rustlng black slk Lshe %as accounted

a ser, and estated to ha&e sa&ed * dare not say ho% uch oneyn the Wylder falyDDknd to e %th the breadDandDja and>a$lesDbscutDkndness of her s$eces, n old tesMDDstood n fancy atthe door%ay. She, too, %as a drea, and, * dare say, her oney s$ent byths te. 5nd that other drea, to %hch she often led e, %th thelarge haNel eyes, and clear delcate tntsDDso s%eet, so KranteK, yet sosad $oor !ady ary Brandon, dyng thereDDso unha$$ly atedDDa youngother, and her baby slee$ng n long 'Brodere 5nglase' attre u$on the$llo% on the sofa, and %ho she used to sho% e %th a $ee$ng ystery,and her fnger to her slng l$, and a gaety and fondness n her$retty face. That lttle hel$less, gro$ng, %alng creature %as no% the(orcas Brandon, the stress of the grand old anson and all ts

surroundngs, %ho %as the herone of the s$lendd atronal co$rose%hch %as about to reconcle a feud, and a&ert a $ossble la%sut, and,for one generaton, at least, to tranIullse the troubled annals of theBrandons and Wylders.

5nd no% the ancent gray cha$el, %th ts staned %ndo%, and store ofold Brandon and Wylder onuents aong ts solen clu$ of elDtrees,fltted by on y rght and n a oent ore %e dre% u$ at the great gateon the left not a hundred yards reo&ed fro t, and %th an eagerrecognton, * gaNed on the noble front of the old anoral house.

A$ the broad straght a&enue %th ts solen fles of ggantc tber

to%erng at the rght and the left hand, the chase rolled soothly, andthrough the fantastc ron gate of the courtyard, and %th a fnes%ngng s%ee$ and a jerk, %e dre% u$ handsoely before the doorDste$s,%th the Wylder ars n bold and flord $rojecton car&ed abo&e t.

The sun had just gone do%n. The blue shado%s of t%lght o&ercast thelandsca$e, and the sts of nght %ere already stealng lke thn sokeaong the trunks and roots of the trees. Through the stone ullons ofthe $rojectng %ndo% at the rght, a flush of freDlght looked $leasantand hos$table, and on the threshold %ere standng !ord #helford and yold frend ark Wylder a fant $erfue of the ldest cheroot declaredho% they had been e$loyed.

So * ju$ed to the ground and %as greeted &ery kndly by the sokers.

'*' here, you kno%, Kn loco $arentsKDDy other and * kee$ %atch and%ard. We allo% Wylder, you see, to coe e&ery day to hs de&otons. Butyou are not to go to the Brandon 5rsDDyou got y note, ddn't you'

* had, and had coe drect to the Hall n conseIuence.

* looked o&er the door. +es, y eory had ser&ed e rght. There %erethe Brandon ars, and the Brandon Iuartered %th the Wylder but theWylder coat n the centre, %th the grnnng grffns for su$$orters, and

flauntng scrolls all round, and the onous %ord 'resurga' underneath,$roclaed tself sadly and &auntngly o&er the great entrance. * often%onder ho% the Wylder coat cae n the centre %ho bult the old houseDDaBrandon or a Wylder and f a Wylder, %hy %as t Brandon Hall

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(usty and seedy soe%hat, as en are after a journey, * chatted %th arkand the noble $eer for a fe% nutes at the door, %hle y &alse and KetceterasK %ere lfted n and hurred u$ the stars to y roo, %hther *follo%ed the.

Whle * %as at y tolet, n cae ark Wylder laughng, as %as hs %ont,

and &ery uncereonously he took $ossesson of y easyDchar, and thre%hs leg o&er the ar of t.

'*' glad you're coe, #harle you %ere al%ays a good fello%, and *really %ant a hand here confoundedly. * thnk t %ll all do &ery ncelybut, of course, there's a lot of thngs to be arrangedDDsettleents, youkno%DDand * can't ake head or tal of ther lngo, and a fello% don'tlke to sgn and seal hand o&er headDDKyouK %ould not ad&se that, youkno% and #helford s a &ery good fello%, of course, and all thatDDbuthe's takng care of (orcas, you see and * ght be left n the lurch.'

'*t s a better %ay, at all e&ents, ark, than Wylder K&ersusK Trustees

of Brandon, nor,' sad *.

'Well, thngs do turn out &ery oddly don't they' sad ark %th a slyglance of co$lacency, and hs hands n hs $ockets. 'But * kno% you'llhold the tller tll * get through hang e f * kno% the soundngs, or%here *' gong and you ha&e the chart by heart, #harle.'

'*' afrad you'll fnd e by no eans so %ell u$ no% as s years ago n)Wylder and Brandon) but surely you ha&e your la%yer, r. !arkn,ha&en't you'

'To be sureDDthat's eactly tDDhe's (orcas's agent. * don't kno%

anythng about h, and * do kno% youDDdon't you see 5 fello% doesn't%ant to $ut hself nto the hands of a stranger altogether, es$ecally ala%yer, ha, ha3 t %ouldn't $ay.'

* dd not half lke the eIu&ocal offce %hch y frend ark had$re$ared for e. *f faly sIuabbles %ere to arse, * had no fancy to n the and * dd not %ant a collson %th r. !arkn ether and, onthe %hole, not%thstandng hs odesty, * thought Wylder &ery %ell ableto take care of hself. There %as te enough, ho%e&er, to settle the$ont. So by ths te, beng s$lendd n "rench boots and %hte &est,and altogether $erfect and refreshed, * eerged fro y dressngDroo,Wylder by y sde.

We had to get along a d oakD$anelled $assage, and nto a sort ofKoelDdeDboeufK, %th a lantern lght abo&e, fro %hch d&erged t%oother solen corrdors, and a short $uNNlng turn or t%o brought us tothe head of the u$$er stars. "or * beng a bachelor, and treatedaccordngly, %as arly $erched on the thrd storey.

To y nd, there s soethng ndescrbably satsfactory n the ntensesoldty of those old stars and floorsDDno s$rng n the $lanks, not acreak you %alk as o&er strata of stone. What clusy grandeur3 What#yclo$ean car$enters3 What a $rodgalty of oak3

*t %as dark by ths te, and the dra%ngDroo, a &ast and grand chaber,%th no lght but the fre and a $ar of d soft la$s near the sofasand ottoans, lofty, and glo%ng %th rch ta$estry curtans and$ctures, and rrors, and car&ed oak, and arbleDD%as already tenanted

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by the lades.

@ld !ady #helford, stff and rch, a -andyke do%ager, %th a generaleffect of dee$ lace, funereal &el&et, and $earls and $ale, %th drearyeyes, and thn hgh nose, sat n a hghDbacked car&ed oak throne, %thred cushons. To her * %as frst $resented, and cursorly scrutnsed%th a stately oldDfashoned nsolence, as f * %ere a canddate footan,

and so dsssed. @n a lo% seat, chattng to her as * cae u$, %as a &eryhandsoe and rather sngularDlookng grl, far, %th a lghtgoldenDtnted har and a countenance, though then gra&e enough, nstnct%th a certan $rose of anaton and s$rt not to be staken. #ouldths be the herone of the $endng allance >o * %as staken. 5 thrdlady, at %hat %ould ha&e been an ordnary roo's length a%ay, halfreclnng on an ottoan, %as no% a$$roached by Wylder, %ho $resented eto ss Brandon.

'(orcas, ths s y old frend, #harles de #resseron. +ou ha&e oftenheard e s$eak of h and * %ant you to shake hands and ake hsacIuantance, and dra% h outDDdo you see for he's a shy youth, and

ust be encouraged.'

He ga&e e a cheerful sla$ on the shoulder as he uttered ths agreeablebt of banter, and altogether dsconcerted e confoundedly. Wylder'sdressDcoats al%ays selt of tobacco, and hs talk of tar. * %as Iuetlyncensed and dsgusted for n those days * K%asK a lttle shy.

The lady rose, n a soft floatng %ay tall, blackDharedDDbut ablackness %th a dull rch shado% through t. * had only a general$resson of large dusky eyes and &ery eIuste featuresDDore delcatethan the Grecan odels, and %th a %onderful trans$arency, lke tntedarble and a su$erb haughtness, Iute unaffected. She held forth her

hand, %hch * dd lttle ore than touch. There %as a $ecularty n hergreetng, %hch * felt a lttle o&era%ng, %thout eactly dsco&erng n%hat t conssted and t %as * thnk that she dd not sle. She ne&ertook that trouble for for's sake, lke other %oen.

So, as Wylder had set a char for e * could not a&od sttng u$on t,though * should uch ha&e $referred standng, after the anner of en,and retanng y lberty.

#H5PTE/ ***.

@A/ (*>>E/ P5/T+ 5T B/5>(@>.

* %as curous. * had heard a great deal of her beauty and t hadeceeded all * heard so * talked y sublest and brghtest chtDchat,n y ost uscal tones, and %as rather engagng and ausng, * &enturedto ho$e. But the best an cannot anage a dalogue alone. ss Brandon%as $lanly not a $erson to ake any sort of eerton to%ards %hat stered kee$ng u$ a con&ersaton at all e&ents she dd not, and after a%hle the $resent one got nto a decdedly snkng condton. 5n

acIuescence, a fant e$resson of sur$rse, a fanter sleDDshecontrbuted lttle ore, after the frst fe% Iuestons of courtesy hadbeen asked, n her lo% sl&ery tones, and ans%ered by e. To e thenatural dese of a KteteDaDteteK dscourse has al%ays seeed a dsgrace.

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But ths a$athetc beauty had ether ore oral courage or ore stu$dtythan *, and %as $lanly terrbly ndfferent about the catastro$he. *'&esoetes thought y struggles and snkngs aused her cruel serenty.

Bella a stu$da3DD* e$erenced, at last, the sort of $Iue %th %hchGeorge Sand's hero a$ostro$hses Kla dernere 5ldnK. +et * could notthnk her stu$d. The un&ersal nstnct honours beauty. *t s so

dffcult to bele&e t ether dull or base. *n &rtue of soe ysterousharones t s 'the age of God,' and ust, %e feel, enclose theGodDlke so * su$$ose * felt, for though * %shed to thnk her stu$d, *could not. She %as not eactly langud, but a gra&e and lstless beauty,and a s$lendd beauty for all that.

* told her y early recollectons of Brandon and Gylngden, and ho% *reebered her a baby, and sad soe graceful trfles on that thee,%hch * fanced %ere lkely to $lease. But they %ere only rece&ed, andled to nothng. *n a lttle %hle n coes !ord #helford, al%ays naturaland $leasant, and Iute unconscous of hs $eerageDDhe %as abo&e t, *thnkDDand chatted a%ay errly %th that handsoe anated blondeDD%ho

on earth, could she beDDand dd not see the least chlled n the stffand frosted $resence of hs other, but %as genal and $layful e&en %ththat S$rt of the "roNen @cean, %ho rece&ed hs affectonate trflng%th a sort of slng, though %ntry $rde and co$lacency, reflectngback fro her cy as$ects soethng of the rosy tnts of that kndlysunshne.

* thought * heard h call the young lady ss !ake, and there rosebefore e an age of an old General !ake, and a d recollecton of soere&erse of fortune. He %asDD* %as sure of thatDDconnected %th theBrandon faly and %as, %th the usual fatalty, a bt of a Kau&assujetK. He had ade a%ay %th hs chldren's oney, or sIuandered hs

o%n or soeho% or another $o&ershed hs faly not credtably. So *glanced at her, and ss Brandon d&ned, t seeed, %hat %as $assng ny nd, for she sad4DD

'That s y cousn, ss !ake, and * thnk her &ery beautfulDDdon'tyou'

'+es, she certanly s &ery handsoe,' and * %as gong to say soethngabout her anaton and s$rt, but reebered just n te, that thatlne of eulogy %ould hardly ha&e n&ol&ed a co$lent to ss Brandon.'* kno% her brother, a lttleDDthat s, #a$tan !akeDDStanley !ake he'sher brother, * fancy'

'K@hK' sad the young lady, n that tone %hch s $onted %th anunkno%n accent, bet%een a note of enIury and of sur$rse. '+es he's herbrother.'

5nd she $aused as f soethng ore %ere e$ected. But at that oentthe bland tones of !arco, the solen butler, announced the /e&. WllaWylder and rs. Wylder, and * sadDD

'Wlla s an old college frend of ne' and * obser&ed h, as heentered %th an affectonate and sad sort of nterest. Eght years had$assed snce %e et last, and that s soethng at any te. *t had

thnned y s$le frend's har a lttle, and hs face, too, %as orecare%orn than * lked, but hs earnest, s%eet sle %as there stll.Slght, gentle, %th soethng of a $ale and studous refneent n hsface. The sae gentle &oce, %th that slght, occasonal hestaton,

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%hch soeho% * lked. There s al%ays a lttle shock after an absence ofsoe years before denttes adjust thesel&es, and then %e fnd thechange s not, after all, so &ery great. * sus$ect t s, rather, thatsoethng of the old $cture s oblterated, n that lttle nter&al, toreturn no ore. 5nd so Wlla Wylder %as &car no% nstead of thatstraght %ry clerc of the ulberry face and black leggngs.

5nd %ho %as ths lttle rs. Wlla Wylder %ho cae n, so hoely offeature, so radant of goodhuour, so eager and s$le, n a &ery $landressDDa Brandon housead %ould not ha&e been seen n t, leanng so$leasantly on hs lean, long, clercal arDDade for reachng books do%nfro hgh shel&es, a lank, scholarlke lb, %th a soe%hat threadbarecuffDDand %ho looked round %th that antc$aton of $leasure, and thats$le confdence n a real %elcoe, %hch are so lkely to nsure tWas she an hel$eet for a blackDletter an, %ho talked %th the "athersn hs daly %alks, could ete$orse !atn heaeters, and drea nGreek. Was she &ery %se, or at all learned * thnk her kno%ledge laychefly n the atters of $oultry, and $uddngs, and latterly, of thenursery, %here one treasure layDDthat goldenDhared lttle boy, four

years old, %ho * had seen $layng aong the roses before the $arsonagedoor, aslee$ by ths teDDhalfD$ast se&en, '$recse,' as old !ady#helford lo&ed to %rte on her suons to dnner.

When the &car, * dare say, n a &ery odd, Iuant %ay, ade hs $ro$osalof arrage, o&ed thereto assuredly, nether by fortune, nor by beauty,to good, erry, lttle ss (orothy #hubley, %ho nobody %as su$$osed tobe lookng after, and the to%n had, soeho%, set do%n fro the frst as anaturalDborn old adDDthere %as a &ery general aaNeent soedsa$$ontent here and there, %th custoary sneers and co$asson, anda good deal of genune auseent not llDnatured.

ss #hubley, all the sho$kee$ers n the to%n kne% and lked, and, n a%ay, res$ected her, as 'ss (olly.' @ld /e&erend John #hubley, (.(., %hohad been n lo&e %th hs %fe fro the $erod of hs boyhood and yet sogrudgng %as "ate, had to undergo an engageent of ngh thrty yearsbefore Hyen re%arded ther constancy beng at length ade -car ofHuddelston, and aster of church re&enues to the aount of three hundred$ounds a yearDDhad, at fortyDf&e, arred hs early lo&e, no% fortyDt%o.

They had ne&er gro%n old n one another's fond eyes. Ther fdelty %asof the days of ch&alry, and ther s$lcty cocal and beautful.T%enty years of ha$$y and lo&ng lfe %ere allotted the and one$ledgeDD$oor ss (orothyDD%as left alone, %hen lttle ore than nneteen

years old. Ths good old cou$le, ha&ng lo&ed early and %ated long, andl&ed together %th %onderful tenderness and gaety of heart therallotted s$an, bd fare%ell for a lttle %hleDDthe gentle lttle ladygong frst, and, n about t%o years ore, the good rector follo%ng.

* reebered h, but ore dly than hs erry lttle %fe, though she%ent frst. She ade rasnD%ne, and those curous bscuts that tastedof Wndsor soa$.

5nd ths rs. Wlla Wylder just announced by softDtoned !arco, s thedaughter Lthere s no stakng the jolly sle and lu$y odd lttlefeatures, and radance of aabltyM of the good doctor and rs.

#hubley, so curously blended n her lo&ng face. 5nd last coes n oldajor Jackson, slng largely, sIuarng hself, and dong hscourteses n a fr but flord ltary style, and $lanly $leased tofnd hself n good co$any and on the e&e of a good dnner. 5nd so our

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dnnerDlst s full.

The $arty %ere just nneDDand t s %onderful %hat a ro% nne%ellDbeha&ed $eo$le %ll contr&e to ake at a dnnerDtable. The nferoranalsDDas %e see the caged and cared for, and fed at one o'clock,'$recse,' n those $ublc nsttutons $ro&ded for therantenanceDDconfne ther u$roar to the $erod edately antecedent to

ther eal, and $erfor the actual $rocess of deglutton %th slentattenton, and only such suckngs, la$$ngs, and crunchngs, asllustrate ther ndustry and content. *t s the dstnct&e $r&lege ofan to eert hs &oce durng hs re$ast, and to ndulge also n thoses$ecally huan cachnnatons %hch no lo%er creature, ece$t thatdsre$utable 5ustralan b$ed kno%n as the 'laughng jackass,' $resuesto tate and to these &ocal eercses of the feasters res$ond theendless rng and tnkle of knfe and fork on chna $late, and thensterng angels n %hte chokers behnd the chars, those ururedsolctatons %hch hu round and round the ears of the re&ellers.

@f course, %hen great guns are $resent, and $eo$le talk K$ro bono

$ublcoK, one at a te, %th $arlaentary regularty, thngs aredfferent but at an ordnary sy$osu, %hen the garrulous and dffdentake erry together, and $eo$le break nto t%os or threes and talk acrossthe table, or nto ther neghbours' ears, and all together, the nose snot only ehlaratng and $ecular, but soetes $erfectlyunaccountable.

The talk, of course, has ts $aroyss and ts subsdences. * ha&e onceor t%ce found yself on a sudden n total slence n the ddle of asoe%hat $rol, though huorous story, coenced n an u$roar for thesole recreaton of y $retty neghbour, and endedDD$atched u$,KrenouncedKDDa falterng falure, under the con&ergng gaNe of a sternly

attent&e audence.

@n the other hand, there are oents %hen the u$roar %hrls u$ n acrescendo to a $tch and &olue $erfectly aaNng and at such tes, *bele&e that anyone ght say anythng to the re&eller at hs elbo%,%thout the sallest rsk of beng o&erheard by ortal. +ou ay $lan %thyoung #aesar Borga, on your left, the $osonng of your host or ask$retty rs. "usble, on your rght, to elo$e %th you fro her grnnngand gabblng lord, %hose bald head flashes red %th cha$agne only at theother sde of the table. There s no $r&acy lke t you ay $lot your%ckedness, or ake your confesson, or $o$ the Iueston, and not a soulbut your confdant be a bt the %serDD$ro&ded only you coand your

countenance.

* don't kno% ho% t ha$$ened, but Wylder sat besde ss !ake. * fancedhe ought to ha&e been dfferently $laced, but ss Brandon dd not seeconscous of hs absence, and t seeed to e that the handsoe blonde%ould ha&e been as %ell $leased f he had been any%here but %here he %as.There %as no look of lkng, though soe fant glerngs both ofannoyance and ebarrassent n her face. But n Wylder's * sa% a sort ofconceted conscousness, and a certan eagerness, too, %hle he talkedthough a shre%d fello% n any %ays, he had a secret con&cton that no%oan could resst h.

'* su$$ose the %orld thnks e a &ery ha$$y fello%, ss !ake' he sad,%th a rather $ens&e glance of enIury nto that young lady's eyes, ashe set do%n hs hockDglass.

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'*' afrad t's a selfsh %orld, r. Wylder, and thnks &ery lttle of%hat does not concern t.'

'>o%, KyouK, * dare say,' contnued Wylder, not carng to $erce&e theKsou$conK of sarcas that odulated her ans%er so uscally, 'look u$one as a &ery fortunate fello%'

'+ou are a &ery fortunate $erson, r. Wylder a gentlean of &eryoderate abltes, %th no $ros$ects, and %thout fortune, %ho fndshself, %thout any deser&ngs of hs o%n, on a sudden, $ossessed of anestate, and about to be unted to the ost beautful heress n England,KsK, * thnk, rather a fortunate $erson.'

'+ou dd not al%ays thnk e so stu$d, ss !ake,' sad r. Wylder,sho%ng soethng of the hectc of &eaton.

'Stu$d3 dd * say Well, you kno%, %e learn by e$erence, r. Wylder.@ne's judgent atures, and %e are harder to $leaseDDdon't you thnksoDDas %e gro% older.'

'5ye, so %e are, * dare say at any rate, soe thngs don't $lease us as%e calculated. * reeber %hen ths bt of luck %ould ha&e ade e ade&lsh ha$$y fello%DDKt%ceK as ha$$y but, you see, f a fello% hasn'ths lberty, %here's the good of oney * don't kno% ho% * got nto t,but * can't get a%ay no% and the la%yer fello%s, and trustees, and allthat sort of $rudent $eo$le, get about one, and $ersuade, and ehort, andthey bully you, by Jo&e3 nto %hat they call a arrage of con&enenceDD*forget the "rench %ordDDyou kno% and then, you see, your feelngs ay be&ery dfferent, and all that and %here's the good of oney, * say, fyou can't enjoy t'

5nd r. Wylder looked $oetcally unha$$y, and trundled o&er a lttle btof frcandeau on hs $late %th hs fork, desolately, as though earthlythngs had lost ther relsh.

'+es * thnk * kno% the feelng,' sad ss !ake, Iuetly. 'That ballad,you kno%, e$resses t &ery $rettly4DD)@h, thou hast been the cause ofths angush, y other)'

*t %as not then as old a song as t s no%.

Wylder looked shar$ly at her, but she dd not sle, and seeed to s$eakn good fath and beng soe%hat thck n soe atters, though a cunnng

fello%, he sadDD

'+es that s the sort of thng, you kno%DDof course, %th adfferenceDDa grl s su$$osed to s$eak there but en suffer that %ay,tooDDthough, of course, &ery lkely t's ore ther o%n fault.'

'*t s &ery sad,' sad ss !ake, %ho %as busy %th a K$ateK.

'She has no lfe n her she's a ere fgurehead she's a%fully slo% *don't lke black har *' taken by con&ersatonDDand all that. There aresoe en that can only really lo&e once n ther l&es, and ne&er forgetther frst lo&e, * assure you.'

Wylder urured all ths, and looked as $lant&e as he could %thoutectng the attenton of the $eo$le o&erDtheD%ay.

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ark Wylder had, as you $erce&e, rather &ague notons of decency, andnot uch e$erence of lades and thought he %as akng just thenterestng $resson he edtated. He %as a good deal sur$rsed, then,%hen ss !ake sad, and %th Iute a cheerful countenance, and &eryIuckly, but so that her %ords stung hs ear lke the $rck of a bodkn.

'+our %ay of s$eakng of y cousn, Sr, s n the hghest degree

dscredtable to you and offens&e to e, and should you &enture tore$eat t, * %ll certanly enton t to !ady #helford.'

5nd so she turned to old ajor Jackson at her rght, %ho had beene$oundng a $ont of the battle of -ttora to !ord #helford and sheled h agan nto acton, and acIured durng the net ten nutes agreat deal of curous lore about S$ansh uleteers and "rench $rsoners,together %th soe $artculars about the nature of $cket duty, and 'thatscoundrel, #astanos.'

#H5PTE/ *-.

*> WH*#H WE G@ T@ THE (/5W*>GD/@@ 5>( THE P5/T+ B/E5S AP.

Wylder %as sur$rsed, $uNNled, and a good deal ncensedDDthat saucy crafthad fred her shot so une$ectedly across hs bo%s. He looked a lttleflushed, and darted a stealthy glance across the table, but no one hethought had obser&ed the anoeu&re. He %ould ha&e talked to ugly rs. W.Wylder, hs ssterDnDla%, at hs left, but she %as entertanng !ord#helford no%. He had nothng for t but to $erfor Kca&aler seulK %th

hs slce of uttonDDa sensual sort of solaton, %hle all the %orld %aschattng so agreeably and nosly around h. He %ould ha&e lked, atthat oent, a %alk u$on the IuarterDdeck, %th a good headD%nd blo%ng,and lberty to curse and s%ear a bt o&er the bul%ark. Woen are so fullof ca$rce and hy$ocrsy, and 'hubuggng $udence3'

Wylder %as rather surly after the lades had floated a%ay fro the scene,and he drank hs lIuor doggedly. *t %as hs fancy, * su$$ose, to re&&ecertan sentental relatons %hch had, t ay be, once ested bet%eenh and ss !ake and he %as a $erson of that cobat&e te$eraent thatagnfes an object n $ro$orton as ts $ursut s th%arted.

*n the dra%ngDroo he %atched ss !ake o&er hs cu$ of coffee, andafter a fe% %ords to hs KfanceeK he lounged to%ard the table at %hchshe %as turnng o&er soe $rnts.

'(o coe here, (orothy,' she eclaed, not rasng her eyes, '* ha&efound the &ery thng.'

'What thng y dear ss !ake,' sad that good lttle %oan, sk$$ng toher sde.

'The story of )"rdoln,) and /etNch's $retty outlnes. St do%n besdee, and *'ll tell you the story.'

'@h3' sad the &car's %fe, takng her seat, and the ns$ecton ande$oston began and ark Wylder, %ho had ntended rene%ng hs talk%th ss !ake, sa% that she had foled h, and stood %th a heghtened

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colour and hs hands n hs $ockets, lookng confoundedly cross and &erylke an outcast, n the shado% behnd.

5fter a %hle, n a $et, he %alked a%ay. !ord #helford had joned the t%olades, and had soethng to say about Geran art, and soe $leasantlghts to thro% fro foregn tra&el, and de&ous readng, and %as asusual ntellgent and agreeable and ark %as stll ore sore and angry,

and strutted a%ay to another table, a long %ay off, and tossed o&er thelea&es of a folo of Wou&eran's %orks, and dd not see one of the $lateshe stared at so sa&agely.

* don't thnk ark %as &ery clear as to %hat he %anted, or, e&en f hehad had a cool halfDhour to defne hs %shes, that he %ould serouslyha&e odfed estng arrangeents. But he had a $assonate sort ofobstnacy, and hs %hs took a &olent character %hen they %ere crossed,and he %as angry and jealous and unntellgble, rendng one of#arlyle's descr$ton of Phl$ EgalteDDa chaos.

Then he joned a con&ersaton gong on bet%een (orcas Brandon and the

&car, hs brother. He asssted at t, but took no $art, and n fact %aslstenng to that other con&ersaton %hch sounded, %th ts $leasantgabble and laughter, lke a lttle uscal tnkle of bells n thedstance. Hs gall rose, and that dstant talk rang n hs ears lke acool but ntangble nsult.

*t %as dull %ork. He looked at hs %atchDDthe brougha %ould be at thedoor to take ss !ake hoe n a Iuarter of an hour so he glded by old!ady #helford, %ho %as doNng stffly through her s$ectacles on a "renchno&el, and through a second dra%ngDroo, and nto the hall, %here he sa%!arco's e$ans&e %hte %astcoat, and dsregarded hs ad&ance andres$ectful nclnaton, and strode nto the outer hall or &estbule,

%here %ere hatDstands, %alkngDstcks, great coats, ubrellas, and theeu&ae of gentleen.

ark cla$$ed on hs hat, and rfled the $ocket of hs $aletot of hscgarDcase and atches, and s$luttered a curse or t%o, accordng to old>ollekns' rece$t for easng the nd, and on the doorDste$s lghted hscheroot, and becae gradually ore $hloso$hcal.

*n due te the brougha cae round %th ts la$s lghted, and ark, %ho%as by ths te $lacd, greeted Prce on the bo falarly, after hs%ont, and asked h %ho he %as gong to dr&e, as f he dd not kno%,cunnng fello% and actually %ent so far as to g&e Prce one of those

chea$ and nasty %eeds, of %hch he ke$t a su$$ly a$art n hs case forsuch occasons of good fello%sh$.

So ark %ated to $ut the lady nto the carrage, and he edtated%alkng a lttle %ay by the %ndo% and akng hs $eace, and there %as$erha$s soe &ague &son of ju$ng n after%ards * kno% not. ark'sdeas of lades and of $ro$rety %ere lo%, and he %as lttle better thana salor ashore, and not a good s$ecen of that class of onster.

He %alked about the courtyard sokng, lookng soetes on the solenfront of the old $alatal anson, and soetes breathng a %hte flu$ to the stars, $atent, lke the enaoured 5laddn, %atchng n

abuscade for the eergence of the Prncess Badroulbadour. But honestark forgot that young lades do not al%ays coe out Iute alone, andju$ unasssted nto ther &ehcles. 5nd n fact not only dd !ord#helford assst the far lady, cloaked and hooded, nto the carrage, but

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the &car's goodhuoured lttle %fe %as handed n also, the good &carlookng on, and as the gay goodDnght and lea&eDtakng took $lace by thedoorDste$s, ark dre% back, lke a gulty thng, n slence, and sho%edno sgn but the red to$ of hs cgar, glo%ng lke the eye of a #yclo$sn the dark and a%ay rolled the brougha, %th the t%o lades, and#helford and the &car %ent n, and ark hurled the stu$ of hs cherootat "ortune, and del&ered a fragentary solloIuy through hs teeth and

so, n a sulk, %thout akng hs adeu, he arched off to hs crb atthe Brandon 5rs.

#H5PTE/ -.

*> WH*#H + S!ABE/ *S (*STA/BE(.

The lades had acco$lshed ther ascenson to the u$$er regons. The

good &car had arched off %th the ajor, %ho %as by ths teunbucklng n hs lodgngs and #helford and *, KteteDaDteteK, had aglass of sherry and %ater together n the dra%ngDroo before $artng.5nd o&er ths te$erate be&erage * told h frankly the nature of theser&ce %hch ark Wylder %shed e to render h and he as franklya$$ro&ed, and sad he %ould ask !arkn, the faly la%yer, to coe u$ nthe ornng to assst.

The ore * sa% of ths odest, refned, and anly $eer, the ore * lkedh. There %as a certan courteous frankness, and a fne old Englshsense of duty $erce$tble n all hs serous talk. So * felt no longerlke a cons$rator, and %as to offer such ad&ce as ght see e$edent,

%th the clear a$$robaton of ss Brandon's trustee. 5nd ths $ontclearly settled, * a&o%ed yself a lttle tred and lghtng our candlesat the foot of the stars, %e scaled that long ascent together, and heconducted e through the ntrcaces of the de&ous lobbes u$ stars toy chaberDdoor, %here he bd e goodDnght, shook hands, and descendedto hs o%n Iuarters.

y roo %as large and oldDfashoned, but snug and *, begnnng to gro%&ery dro%sy, %as not long n gettng to bed, %here * fell aslee$ndescrbably Iuckly.

*n all old houses one s, of course, lable to ad&entures. Where s the

ar&ellous to fnd refuge, f not aong the chabers, the ntrcaces,%hch ha&e seen the &csstudes, the cres, and the deaths ofgeneratons of such en as had occu$ed these

There %as a $cture n the outer hallDDone of those fullDlength gentleenof George **.'s te, %th a dark $eruke flo%ng on hs shoulders, a cut&el&et coat, and lace cra&at and ruffles. Ths $cture %as $ale, and hada long chn, and soeho% had $ressed y boyhood %th a sngular senseof fear. The foot of y bed lay to%ards the %ndo%, dstant at leastf&eDandDt%entyDfeet and before the %ndo% stood y dressngDtable, andon t a large lookngDglass.

* dreaed that * %as arrangng y tolet before ths glassDDjust as * haddone that e&enngDD%hen on a sudden the face of the $ortrat * ha&eentoned %as $resented on ts surface, confrontng e lke a realcountenance, and ad&ancng to%ards e %th a look of fury and at the

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nstant * felt yself seNed by the throat and unable to str or tobreathe. 5fter a struggle %th ths nfernal garotter, * succeeded na%akng yself and as * dd so, * felt a rather cold hand really restngon y throat, and Iuetly $assed u$ o&er y chn and face. * ju$ed outof bed %th a roar, and challenged the o%ner of the hand, but rece&ed noans%er, and heard no sound. * $oked u$ y fre and lghted y candle.E&erythng %as as * had left t ece$t the door, %hch %as the least bt

o$en.

*n y shrt, candle n hand, * looked out nto the $assage. There %asnothng there n huan sha$e, but n the drecton of the stars thegreen eyes of a large cat %ere shnng. * %as so confoundedly ner&ousthat e&en 'a harless, necessary cat' a$$alled e, and * cla$$ed y door,as f aganst an e&l s$rt.

*n about half an hour's te, ho%e&er, * had Iute %orked off the effectof ths nghtDare, and reasoned yself nto the natural soluton thatthe creature had got on y bed, and lay, as * ha&e been told they %ll,u$on y throat, and so, all the rest had follo%ed.

>ot beng g&en to the fear of Klar&aeK and KleuresK, and also kno%ngthat a stake s easly cotted n a great house lke that, and thaty &stor ght ha&e ade one, * gre% dro%sy n a lttle %hle, and soonfell aslee$ agan. But kno%ng all * no% do, * hold a dfferentconclusonDDand so, * thnk, %ll you.

*n the ornng ark Wylder %as early u$on the ground. He had Iute sle$toff %hat he %ould ha&e called the nonsense of last nght, and %as &erykeen u$on settleents, consols, ortgages, jontures, and all that drybut oentous lore.

* fnd a note n y dary of that day4DD'"ro halfD$ast ten o'clock untlt%o %th ark Wylder and r. !arkn, the la%yer, n the studyDDdull%orkDDo&er $a$ers and ttleDD!ord #helford %th us no% and then to lend ahel$ng hand.'

!a%yer !arkn, though he ade our %ork lghterDDfor he %as clear, Iuck,and orderly, and could lay hs hand on any $a$er n those tn %alls oflegal anuscr$ts that bult u$ t%o sdes of hs offceDDdd not ake ourbusness, to e at least, any $leasanter. Wylder thought h a cle&er anLand so $erha$s, n a certan sense, he %asM !ord #helford, a osthonourable one yet there cae to e by nstnct an un$leasant feelngabout h. *t %as not n any defned %ayDD* dd not fancy that he %as

achnatng, for nstance, any sort of schef n the busness beforeusDDbut * had a noton that he %as not Iute %hat he $retended.

Perha$s hs K$ersonnelK $rejudced eDDthough * could not Iute say %hy.He %as a tall, lank anDDrather long of lb, long of head, and gaunt offace. He %anted teeth at both sdes, and there %as rather a skullDlkeca&ty %hen he sledDD%hch %as $retty often. Hs eyes %ere sall andreddsh, as f accustoed to cry and %hen e&erythng %ent soothly %eredull and do&eDlke, but %hen thngs crossed or ected h, %hchoccurred %hen hs o%n $ocket or $lans %ere concerned, they gre%sngularly un$leasant, and greatly resebled those of soe not aableanalDD%as t a rat, or a ser$ent *t %as a $ecular concentrated

&glance and ra$ne that * ha&e seen there. But that %as longafter%ards. >o%, ndeed, they %ere eek, and sad, and $nk.

He had an abton, too, to $ass for a hghDbred gentlean, and thought

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t ght be done by a soe%hat lofty and dra%lng %ay of talkng, anddstrbutng hs length of lb n %hat he fanced %ere easy atttudes.*f the tender erces of the %cked are cruel, so are the elegances of a&ulgar an and hs ade e %nce.

* ght be all n the %rongDDand %as, no doubt, unreasonableDDfor he borea hgh character, and $assed for a &ery gentleanlke an aong the

&llagers. He %as also soethng of a relgous lght, and had for a teconfored to ethods, but returned to the #hurch. He had a lkng forlong serons, and a sad abhorrence of auseents, and sat out the ornngand the e&enng ser&ces regularlyDDand ke$t u$ hs dssentng connectontoo, and ga&e the oneyDDand a$$eared n $rnt, n all chartablelstsDDand ourned o&er other en's backsldngs and calates n alofty and #hrstan %ay, shakng hs tall bald head, and turnng u$ hs$nk eyes ldly.

>ot%thstandng all %hch he %as soeho% unlo&ely n y eyes, and n anndstnct %ay, fordable. *t %as not a $leasant sg&ng about agentlean of !arkn's s$eces, the faly la%yer, %ho becoe K&scera

agnoru douuK.

y dutes %ere lghter, as ad&ser, than * at frst a$$rehended. Wylder'scrotchets %ere chefly 'are's nests.' We had read the draft of thesettleent, $re$aratory to ts beng sent to senor counsel to bea$$ro&ed. Wylder's attorney had done hs de&or, and r. !arkn a&o%ed asort of $arental nterest n both $artes to the ndentures, and ade, atclosng, a lttle s$eech, &ery hgh n oralty, and fla&oured n a anly%ay %th relgon, and congratulated ark on hs honour and $landealng, %hch he ga&e us to understand %ere the secrets of all successn lfe, as they had been, n an huble %ay of hs o%n.

#H5PTE/ -*.

*> WH*#H (@/#5S B/5>(@> SPE5S.

*n ans%er to 'the roarng sh&er of the gong' %e all troo$ed a%aytogether to luncheon. !ady #helford and (orcas and #helford had nearlyended that rregular re$ast %hen %e entered. y char %as besde ssBrandon she had breakfasted %th old !ady #helford that ornng, and

ths %as y frst eetng that day. *t %as not &ery encouragng.

Peo$le co$laned that acIuantance ade lttle %ay %th her. That you%ere, $erha$s, %ell satsfed %th your frst day's $rogress, but thenet ade no headD%ay you found yourself ths ornng eactly at the$ont fro %hch you coenced yesterday, and toDorro% %ould recoence%here you started the day before. Ths s &ery dsa$$ontng, but aysoetes be accounted for by there beng nothng really to dsco&er. *tseeed to e, ho%e&er, that the dstance had $ost&ely ncreased snceyesterday, and that the oftener she et e the ore strange she becae.5s %e %ent out, Wylder enIured, %th hs usual good taste4 'Well, %hatdo you thnk of her' Then he looked slly at e, laughng, %th hs

hands n hs $ockets. '5 lttle bt slo%, eh' he %hs$ered, and laughedagan, and lounged nto the hall. *f (orcas Brandon had been a $lan%oan, * thnk she %ould ha&e been &oted an $ertnent bore but she %asso beautful that she becae an enga. * looked at her as she stood

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gra&ely gaNng fro the %ndo%. *s t !ady acbeth >o she ne&er %ouldha&e had energy to $lan her husband's career and anage that affar of(uncan. 5 sultana ratherDDsublely egotstcal, %thout re&erenceDDa&olu$tuous and haughty ebodent of ndfference. * $aused, lookng at a$cture, but thnkng of her, and %as sur$rsed by her &oce &ery neare.

'Wll you g&e e just a nute, r. (e #resseron, n the dra%ngDroo,%hle * sho% you a nature * %ant your o$non.'

So she floated on and * acco$aned her.

'* thnk,' she sad, 'you entoned yesterday, that you reebered e%hen an nfant. +ou reeber y $oor aa, don't you, &ery %ell'

Ths %as the frst te she had yet sho%n any tendency, so far as * hadseen, to be nterested n anythng, or to talk to e. * seNed theoccason, and ga&e her, as %ell as * could, the sad and $retty $cturethat reaned, and al%ays %ll, n the &acant ar, %hen * thnk of her,

on the ysterous retna of eory.

Ho% fly they are3 the oonlght shnes through the, as through the$hanto (ane n /etNch's outlnesDDcolour %thout substance. Ho% theycoe, %earng for e&er the s%eetest and $leasantest look of ther earthlydays. Ther s%eetest and errest tones ho&er uscally n the dstanceho% far a%ay, ho% near to slence, yet ho% clear3 5nd so t s %th ourreebrance of the ortal $art. *t s the lo&elest trats that rean%th us $erennally all that %as noblest and ost beautful s there, na changeless and celestal shado% and ths s the resurrecton of theeory, the foretaste and age %hch the '"athful #reator' accords usof the resurrecton and glory to coeDDthe body redeeed, the s$rt ade

$erfect.

@n a cabnet near to %here she stood %as a casket of orolu, %hch sheunlocked, and took out a nature, o$ened, and looked at t for a longte. * kne% &ery %ell %hose t %as, and %atched her countenance for, as* ha&e sad, she nterested e strangely. * su$$ose she kne% * %aslookng at her but she sho%ed al%ays a Iueenlke ndfference about %hat$eo$le ght thnk or obser&e. There %as no sentental softenng buther gaNe %as such as * once sa% the sae $roud and handsoe face turnu$on the deadDD$ale, eIuste, $erha$s a lttle stern. What she readthereDD%hat $rocesson of thoughts and ages $assed byDDthre% netherlght nor shado% on her face. *ts a$athy nterested e nscrutably.

5t last she $laced the $cture n y hand, and askedDD

'*s ths really &ery lke her'

'*t s, and t s KnotK,' * sad, after a lttle $ause. 'The features aretrue4 t s %hat * call an accurate $ortrat, but that s all. * daresay, eact as t s, t %ould g&e to one %ho had not seen her a false,as t ust an nadeIuate, dea, of the orgnal. There %as soethngKna&eK and Ks$rtuelK, and &ery tender n her face, %hch he has notcaughtDD$erha$s t could hardly be fed n colours.'

'+es, * al%ays heard her e$resson and ntellgence %ere &ery beautful.*t %as the beauty of obltyDDtrue beauty.'

'There s a beauty of another sta$, eIually eIuste, ss Brandon, and

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$erha$s ore o&er$o%erng.' * sad ths n nearly a %hs$er, and n a&ery arked %ay, alost tender, and the net oent %as aaNed at y o%naudacty. She looked on e for a second or t%o, %th her dark dro%syglance, and then t returned to the $cture, %hch %as agan n her hand.There %as a total %ant of nterest n the careless sort of sur$rse she&ouchsafed y lttle sally nether %as there the slghtest resentent.*f a %afer had been stuck u$on y forehead, and she had obser&ed t,

there ght ha&e been just that look and no ore. * %as rdculouslyannoyed %th yself. * %as betrayed, * don't kno% ho%, nto ths lttle&enture, and t %as a flat falure. The $oston of a shy an, %ho hasjust ade an unntellgble joke at a dnnerDtable, %as not ore $regnant%th selfDre$roach and ebarrassent.

A$on y honour, * don't thnk there %as anythng of the KroueK n e. *o%n * dd feel to%ards ths lady, %ho ether %as, or seeed to e, sosngular, a ysterous nterest just begnnngDDof that $ecular knd%hch becoes at last terrbly absorbng.

* %as ore elated by her trflng notce of e than * can Iute account

for. *t %as a dstncton. She %as so ndescrbably handsoeDDso$ass&ely dsdanful. * thnk f she had lstened to e %th e&en thefantest ntaton of carng %hether * s$oke n ths tone or not, %the&en a flash of oentary resentent, * ght ha&e rushed nto a ostre$rehensble and rdculous rgarole.

*n ths, the subtlest and ost $erlous of all ntocatons, t needsense $resence of nd to conduct oursel&es al%ays %th decoru. Butshe %as lookng, just as before, at the nature, as t seeed to e, nfancy nfusng soe of the s$rt * had descrbed nto the artst'srecord, and she sad, only n solloIuy, as t %ere, '+es, * seeDD*KthnkK * see.'

So there %as a $ause and then she sad, %thout, ho%e&er, reo&ng hereyes fro the nature, '+ou are, * bele&e, r. (e #resseron, a &eryold frend of r. Wylder's. *s t not so'

So soon after y lttle esca$ade, * dd not lke the Iueston but t %asans%ered. There %as not the fantest trace of a satrcal eanng,ho%e&er, n her face and after another &ery consderable nter&al, atthe end of %hch she shut the nature n ts case, she sad, '*t %as a$ecular face, and &ery beautful. *t s odd ho% any of our falyarred for lo&eDD%ld lo&eDatches. y $oor other %as the last. * could$ont you out any $ctures, and tell you storesDDy cousn, /achel,

kno%s the all. +ou kno% /achel !ake'

'*'&e not the honour of kno%ng ss !ake. * had not an o$$ortunty ofakng her acIuantance yesterday but * kno% her brotherDDso doesWylder.'

'What's that' sad ark, %ho had just coe n, and %as tublng o&er a&olue of 'Punch' at the %ndo%.

'* %as tellng ss Brandon that %e both kno% Stanley !ake.' @n hearng%hch, Wylder seeed to dsco&er soethng uncoonly nterestng orcle&er n the llustraton before h for he a$$roached hs face &ery

near to t, n a scrutnsng %ay, and only sad, '@h'

'That arryng for lo&e %as a fatalty n our faly,' she contnued nthe sae lo% toneDDtoo fant * thnk to reach ark. 'They %ere all the

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ost beautful %ho sacrfced thesel&es soDDthey %ere all unha$$yarrages. So the beauty of our faly ne&er a&aled t, any ore thants talents and ts courage for there %ere cle&er and %tty en, as %ellas &ery bra&e ones, n t. eaner houses ha&e gro%n u$ nto dukedosours ne&er $ros$ers. * %onder %hat t s.'

'any fales ha&e dsa$$eared altogether, ss Brandon. *t s no sall

thng, through so any centures, to ha&e retaned your ancestralestates, and your $reDenent $oston, and e&en ths s$lendd resdenceof so any generatons of your lneage.'

* thought that ss Brandon, ha&ng broken the ce, %as henceforth to bea con&ersable young lady. But ths sudden e$anson %as not to last. @&dtells us, n hs '"ast,' ho% statues soetes sur$rsed $eo$le bys$eakng ore frankly and to the $ur$ose e&en than ss Brandon, andstraght %ere cold chselled arble agan and so t %as %th that $roud,cold Kchef d'oeu&reK of tnted statuary.

+et * thought * could, e&en n that d gl$se, dscern ho% the slent

subterranean current of her thoughts %as flo%ng lke otherre$resentat&es of a dynasty, she had studed the hstory of her race to$roft by ts errors and sfortunes. There %as to be no %eakness or$asson n her regn.

The $rncess by ths te %as seated on the ottoan, and chose to read aletter, thus ntatng, * su$$ose, that y audence %as at an end so *took u$ a book, $ut t do%n, and then %ent and looked o&er Wylder'sshoulder, and ade y crtcssDDnot &ery no&el, * fearDDu$on the $ageshe turned o&er and * a sorry to say * don't thnk he heard uch of %hat* %as sayng, for he suddenly cae out %thDD

'5nd %here s Stanley !ake no%, do you kno%'

'* sa% h n to%nDDonly for a oent thoughDDabout a fortnght ago he%as arrangng, he sad, about sellng out.'

'@h3 retrng and %hat does he $ro$ose dong then' asked Wylder,%thout rasng hs eyes fro hs book. He s$oke n a sort of undertone,lke a an %ho does not %ant to be o&erheard, and the roo %as Iutelarge enough to ake that sort of secrecy easy %thout the a$$earance ofseekng t.

'* ha&e not an dea. * don't thnk he's ft for any thngs. He kno%s

soethng of horses, * bele&e, and soethng of $lay.'

'But he'll hardly ake out a l&ng that %ay,' sad Wylder, %th a sortof sneer or laugh. * thought he seeed $ut out, and a lttle flushed.

'* fancy he has enough to l&e u$on, %thout addng to t, ho%e&er,' *sad.

Wylder leaned back n hs lo% char, %th hs hands stuffed n hs$ockets, and the ar of a an tryng to look unconcerned, but bothannoyed and dsconcerted ne&ertheless.

* tell you %hat, #harle, bet%een you and e, that fello%, Stanley, s adDDDDd bad lot. * ay be staken, of course he's al%ays been &ery c&lto e, but %e don't lke one another and * don't thnk * e&er heard hsay a good %ord of any one, * dare say he abuses you and e, as he does

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e&eryone else.'

'(oes he' * sad. '* %as not a%are he had that falng.'

'@h, yes. He does not stck at trfles, aster Stanley. He's about thegreatest lar, * thnk, * e&er et %th,' and he laughed angrly.

* ha$$ened at that oent to rase y eyes, and * sa% (orcas's facereflected n the rror her back %as to%ards us, and she held the lettern her hand as f readng t, but her large eyes %ere lookng o&er t,and on us, n the glass, %th a gaNe of strange curosty. @ur glanceset n the rror but hers reaned serenely undsturbed, and nedro$$ed and turned a%ay hastly. * %onder %hether she heard us. * do notkno%. Soe $eo$le are raculously shar$ of hearng.

'* dare say,' sad Wylder, %th a sneer, 'he %as askng affectonatelyfor e, eh'

'>o not that * recollectDDn fact there %as not te but * su$$ose he

does not lke you less for %hat has ha$$ened you're %orth cult&atngno%, you kno%.'

Wylder %as leanng on hs elbo%, %th just the t$ of hs thub to hsteeth, %th a &cous character of btng t, %hch %as $ecular to h%hen anythng &eed h consderably, and glancng shar$ly ths %ay andthatDD

'+ou kno%,' he sad, suddenly, '%e are a sort of cousns hs other %asa BrandonDDa second cousn of (orcas'sDDno, of her father'sDD* don't kno%eactly ho%. He's a $ushng fello%, one of the coolest hands * kno% but* don't see that * can be of any use to h, or %hy the de&l * should. *

say, old fello%, coe out and ha&e a %eed, %ll you'

* rased y eyes. ss Brandon had left the roo. * don't kno% that her$resence %ould ha&e $re&ented hs n&taton, for Wylder's %oong %ascertanly of the coolest. So forth %e salled, and under the autunalfolage, n the cool aber lght of the declnng e&enng, %e enjoyed ourcheroots and %th the, Wylder hs thoughts and *, the landsca$e, andthe %hstlng of the brds for %e %aed Turksh and tacturn o&er ourtobacco.

#H5PTE/ -**.

/E!5T*>G H@W 5 !@>(@> GE>T!E5> 5PPE5/E( *> /E(5>'S (E!!.

* bele&e the best rule n tellng a story s to follo% e&entschronologcally. So let e enton that just about the te %hen Wylderand * %ere flng the trunks of the old trees %th %reaths of lngerng$erfue, ss /achel !ake had an une$ected &stor.

There s, near the Hall, a &ery $retty glen, called /edan's (ell, &ery

stee$, %th a strea runnng at the botto of t, but so thckly %oodedthat n suer te you can only no% and then catch a gl$se of the%ater gldng beneath you. (ee$ n ths $cturesIue ra&ne, bured aongthe thck shado%s of tall old trees, runs the narro% llDroad, %hch

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lo%er do%n debouches on the end of the &llage street. There, n thetrans$arent green shado%, stand the t%o llsDDthe old one %th 5.(.0821, and the Wylder ars, and the eternal 'resurga' $rojectng o&er tsdoor and hgher u$, on a sort of $latfor, the stee$ bank rsng hghbehnd t, %th ts to%erng old %ood o&erhangng and surroundng, u$on aste %here one of kng 5rthur's knghts, of an autun e&enng, as he rodesoltary n Iuest of ad&entures, ght ha&e seen the $ee$ng, gray gable

of an anchorte's cha$el dly through the glded stes, and heard thedro%sy tnkle of hs &es$erDbell, stands an old and sall t%oDstoredbrck and tber house and though the sun does not &ery often gler onts %ndo%s, t yet $ossesses an ar of sad, oldD%orld cofortDDa lttleflo%erDgarden les n front %th a $alng round t. But not e&ery knd offlo%ers %ll gro% there, under the lordly shado% of the els andchestnuts.

Ths seIuestered teneent bears the nae of /edan's "ar and tsoccu$ant %as that ss !ake %ho * had et last nght at Brandon Hall,and %hose $leasure t %as to l&e here n nde$endent solaton.

There she s no%, busy n her tny garden, %th the brds t%tterngabout her, and the yello% lea&es fallng and her thck gauntlets on herslender hands. Ho% fresh and $retty she looks n that sad, syl&ansoltude, %th the background of the dull crson brck and the clbngroses. Bars of sunshne fall through the branches abo&e, across the thckta$estry of blue, yello%, and crson, that glo% so rchly u$on therdee$ green ground.

There s not uch to be done just no%, * fancy, n the gardenng %ay but%ork s found or n&entedDDfor soetes the hour s dull, and thatbrght, s$rted, and at heart, t ay be, btter ele, %ll ake outlfe soeho%. There s usc, and dra%ng. There are flo%ers, as %e see,

and t%o or three corres$ondents, and %alks nto the &llage and her darkcousn, (orcas, dr&es do%n soetes n the $onyDcarrage, and s notal%ays slent and ndeed, they are a good deal together.

Ths young lady's lttle Eden, though o&ershado%ed and enco$assed %ththe solen syl&an closter of nature's buldng, and &ocal %th sounds ofnnocenceDDthe songs of brds, and soetes those of ts youngstressDD%as no ore $roof than the eso$otaan haunt of our frst$arents aganst the ntruson of darker s$rts. So, as she %orked, shelfted u$ her eyes, and beheld a rather handsoe young an standng atthe lttle %cket of her garden, %th hs glo&ed hand on the latch. 5 anof fashonDDa to%n anDDhs dress bes$oke h4 sooth cheeks, lght bro%n

curlng oustache, and eyes &ery $ecular both n sha$e and colour, andsoethng of elegance of fnsh n hs other features, and of generalgrace n the Kcou$ d'oelK, struck one at a glance. He %as slngslently and slly on /achel, %ho, %th a lttle cry of sur$rse, sadDD

'@h, Stanley3 s t you'

5nd before he could ans%er, she had thro%n her ars about hs neck andkssed h t%o or three tes. !aughngly, halfDresstng, the young an%ated tll her enthusastc salutaton %as o&er, and %th one glo&edhand caressngly on her shoulder, and %th the other soothng hsruffled oustache, he laughed a lttle ore, a Iuet lo% laugh. He %as

not addcted to story greetngs, and $atted hs sster's shouldergently, hs ar a lttle etended, lke a an %ho tranIullses afrolcsoe $ony.

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'+es, /ade, you see *'&e found you out' and hs eye %andered, stllslng oddly, o&er the front of her Iuant habtaton.

'5nd ho% ha&e you been, /ade'

'@h, &ery %ell. >o lfe lke a gardener'sDDearly hours, %ork, ar, and$lenty of Iuet.' 5nd the young lady laughed.

'+ou are a %onderful lass, /ade.'

'Thank you, dear.'

'5nd %hat do you call ths $lace'

')The Ha$$y -alley,) K*K call t. (on't you reeber )/asselas)'

'>o,' he sad, lookng round h '* don't thnk * %as e&er there.'

'+ou horrd dunce3DDt's a book, but a stu$d oneDDso no atter,' laughed

ss /achel, g&ng h a lttle sla$ on the shoulder %th her slenderfngers.

Hs readng, you see, lay ore n crculatng lbrary lore, and he %asnot dee$ n JohnsonDDas fe% of us %ould be, *' afrad, f t %ere notfor Bos%ell.

'*t's a confounded deal ore lke the )-alley of the Shado% of (eath,) n)Plgr's Progress)DDyou reeberDDthat old Taar used to read to us nthe nursery,' re$led aster Stanley, %ho had ne&er enjoyed beng IuNNedby hs sster, not beng blessed %th a rearkably s%eet te$er.

'*f you don't lke y scenery, coe n, Stanley, and adre ydecoratons. +ou ust tell e all the ne%s, and *'ll sho% you y house,and aaNe you %th y housekee$ng. (ear e, ho% long t s snce *'&eseen you.'

So she led h n by the ar to her tny dra%ngDroo and he lad hshat and stck, and gray $aletot, on her lttle arIuetreDtable, and satdo%n, and looked langudly about h, %th a sly sle, lke a anaused.

'*t s an odd fancy, l&ng alone here.'

'5n odd necessty, Stanley.'

'5ren't you afrad of beng robbed and urdered, /ade' he sad, leanngfor%ard to sell at the $retty bouIuet n the lttle glass, and turnngt lstlessly round. 'There are lots of those burglar fello%s gongabout, you kno%.'

'Thank you, dear, for rendng e. But, soeho%, *' not the leastafrad. There hasn't been a robbery n ths neghbourhood, * bele&e, foreght hundred years. The $eo$le ne&er thnk of shuttng ther doors heren suer te tll they are gong to bed, and then only for for's sakeand, besde, there's nothng to rob, and * really don't uch nd beng

urdered.'

He looked round, and sled on, as before, lke a an conte$tuouslyaused, but slee$ly %thal.

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'+ou are &ery oddly housed, /ade.'

'* lke t,' she sad Iuetly, also %th a glance round her hoelydra%ngDroo.

'What do you call ths, your boudor or $arlour'

'* call t y dra%ngDroo, but t's anythng you $lease.'

'What &ery odd $eo$le our ancestors %ere,' he used on. 'They l&ed, *su$$ose, out of doors lke the co%s, and only cae nto ther sheds atnght, %hen they could not see the absurd uglness of the $laces theynhabted. * could not stand u$rght n ths roo %th y hat on. !ots ofrats, * fancy, /ade, behnd that %anscotng What's that horrd %ork ofart aganst the %all'

'5 shellD%ork cabnet, dear. *t s not beautful, * allo%. *f * %erestrong enough, or $oor old Taar, * should ha&e $ut t a%ay and no% that

you're here, Stanley, * thnk *'ll ake you carry t out to the lobby fore.'

'* should not lke to touch t, dear /ade. 5nd $ray ho% do you auseyourself here Ho% on earth do you get o&er the day, and, %orse stll,the e&enngs'

'-ery %ellDD%ell enough. * ake a &ery good sort of a nun, and a ca$talhousead. * %ork n the garden, * end y dresses, * drnk tea, and %hen* choose to be dss$ated, * $lay and sng for old TaarDD%hy dd not youask ho% she s * do bele&e, Stanley, you care for no one, but' Lshe %asgong to say yourself, she sad nstead, ho%e&er, butM '$erha$s, the

least n the %orld for e, and that not &ery %sely,' she contnued, alttle fercely, 'for fro the oent you sa% e, you'&e done lttle elsethan try to dsgust e ore than * a %th y $enury and soltude. Whatdo you ean +ou al%ays ha&e a $ur$oseDD%ll you e&er learn to be frankand straghtfor%ard, and s$eak $lanly to those %ho you ought to trust,f not to lo&e What are you dr&ng at, Stanley'

He looked u$ %th a gentle start, lke one reco&erng fro a re&ere, andsad, %th hs yello% eyes fed for a oent on hs sster, before theydro$$ed agan to the car$et.

'+ou're serably $oor, /achel4 u$on y %ord, * bele&e you ha&en't clear

t%o hundred a year. *'ll drnk soe tea, $lease, f you ha&e got any, andt sn't too uch trouble and t strkes e as &ery curous you lkel&ng n ths really &ery hulatng state.'

'* don't ntend to go out for a go&erness, f that's %hat you ean nors there any $r&aton n l&ng as * do. Perha$s you thnk * ought to goand housekee$ for you.'

'WhyDDha, ha3DD* really don't kno%, /ade, %here * shall be. *' not ofany regent no%.'

'Why, you ha&e not sold out' She flushed and suddenly gre% $ale, for she

%as afrad soethng %orse ght ha&e ha$$ened, ha&ng no greatconfdence n her brother.

But she %as rele&ed.

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'* Kha&eK sold y cosson.'

She looked straght at h %th large eyes and co$ressed l$s, andnodded her head t%o or three tes, just ururng, 'Well3 %ell3 %ell3'

'Woen ne&er understand these thngs. The ary s a%fully e$ens&eDD*

ean, of course, a regent lke ours and the nterest of the oney sbetter to e than y $ay and see, /achel, there's no use n lecturngKeKDDso don't let us Iuarrel. We're not &ery rch, you and * and %eeach kno% our o%n affars, you yours, and * ne, best.'

There %as soethng by no eans $leasant n hs countenance %hen hste$er %as strred, and a lttle thng soetes suffced to do so.

/achel treated h %th a sort of deference, a lttle conte$tuous$erha$s, such as s$oled chldren rece&e fro ndulgent elders and shelooked at h steadly, %th a fant sle and arched bro%s, for a lttle%hle, and an undefnable e$resson of $uNNle and curosty.

'+ou are a &ery ausng brotherDDf not a &ery cheery or a &ery usefulone, Stanley.'

She o$ened the door, and called across the lttle hall nto the hoelyktchen of the anson.

'Taar, dear, aster Stanley's here, and %shes to see you.'

'@h3 yes, $oor dear old Taar ha, ha3' says the gentlean, %th a gentlelttle laugh, '* su$$ose she's as frghtful as e&er, that %orthy %oan.#ertanly she KsK a%fully lke a ghost. * %onder, /ade, you're not

afrad of her at nght n ths cheerful habtaton. K*K should, * kno%.'

'5 ghost KndeedK, the ghost of old tes, an ugly ghost enough for anyof us. Poor Taar3 she %as al%ays &ery knd to KyouK, Stanley.'

5nd just then old Taar o$ened the door. * ust allo% there %as soethng&ery un$leasant about that %orthy old %oan and not beng under any$ersonal oblgatons to her, * confess y acIuescence n the s$rt of#a$tan !ake's rearks.

She %as certanly $erfectly neat and clean, but %hte $redonatedun$leasantly n her costue. Her cotton go%n had once had a $ale $attern

o&er t, but %ear and %ashng had destroyed ts tnts, tll t %as nobetter than %hte, %th a ottlng of gray. She had a large %htekerchef $nned %th a grsly $recson across her breast, and a %htelnen ca$ ted under her chn, fttng close to her head, lke a chld'snghtca$, such as they %ore n y young days, and desttute of border orfrllng about the face. *t %as a dress &ery odd and un$leasant tobehold, and suggested the dea of an hos$tal, or a adhouse, or death,n an undefned %ay.

She %as $ast sty, %th a ournful $uckered and $uffy face, tnted allo&er %th a thn gaboge and burnt senna glaNng and &ery blue underthe eyes, %hch sho%ed a great deal of ther %atery %htes. Ths old

%oan had n her face and ar, along %th an e$resson of sus$con andanety, a certan character of decency and res$ectablty, %hch adeher altogether a $uNNlng and un$leasant a$$arton.

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Beng tacturn and undeonstrat&e, she stood at the door, lookng %thas $leased a countenance as so sad a $ortrat could %ear u$on the younggentlean.

He got u$ at hs lesure and greeted 'old Taar,' %th hs slee$y, ausedsort of sle, and a fe% trte %ords of kndness. So Taar %thdre% to$re$are tea and he sad, all at once, %th a sudden accesson of energy,

and an un$leasant oentary glare n hs eyesDD

'+ou kno%, /achel, ths sort of thng s all nonsense. +ou cannot go onl&ng lke ths you ust arryDDyou shall arry. ark Wylder s do%nhere, and he has got an estate and a house, and t s te he shouldarry you.'

'ark Wylder s here to arry y cousn, (orcas and f he had no suchntenton, and %ere as free as you are, and agan to urge hs foolshsut u$on hs knees, Stanley, * %ould de rather than acce$t h.'

'*t %as not al%ays so foolsh a sut, /ade,' ans%ered her brother, hs

eyes once ore u$on the car$et. 'Why should not KheK do as %ell asanother +ou lked h %ell enough once.'

The young lady coloured rather fercely.

'* a not a grl of se&enteen no%, Stanley andDDand, besdes, * KhateKh.'

'What dDDd nonsense3 * really beg your $ardon, /ade, but t KsK$recous stuff. +ou are Iute unreasonable you'&e no cause to hate hhe dro$$ed you because you dro$$ed h. *t %as only $rudent he had not agunea. But no% t s dfferent, and he KustK arry you.'

The young lady stared %th a haughty aaNeent u$on her brother.

'*'&e ade u$ y nd to s$eak to h and f he %on't * $rose you heshall lea&e the country,' sad the young an gently, just lftng hsyello% eyes for a second %th another un$leasant glare.

'* alost thnk you're ad, Stanley and f you do anythng so nsane,sure * a you'll rue t %hle you l&e and %here&er he s *'ll fnd hout, and acIut yself, %th the scorn * o%e h, of any share n a $lotso uns$eakably ean and absurd.'

'Bra&a, bra&a3 you're a herone, /ade and %hy the de&l,' he contnued,n a changed tone, 'do you a$$ly those nsolent ters to %hat * $ur$osedong'

'* %sh * could fnd %ords strong enough to e$ress y horror of your$lotDDa $lot e&ery %ay dsgustng. +ou $lanly kno% soethng to arkWylder's dscredt and you ean, Stanley, to coerce h by fear nto aarrage %th your $ennless sster, %ho KhatesK h. Sr, do you $retendto be a gentlean'

'* rather thnk so,' he sad, %th a Iuet sneer.

'G&e u$ e&ery dea of t ths oent. Has t not struck you that arkWylder ay $ossbly kno% soethng of you, you %ould not ha&e $ublshed'

'* don't thnk he does. What do you ean'

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'@n y lfe, Stanley, *'ll acIuant r. Wylder ths e&enng %th %hat youedtate, and the atrocous lberty you $resueDDyes, Sr, though you arey brother, the Katrocous lbertyK you dare to take %th y naeDDunlessyou $rose, u$on your honour, no% and here, to dsss for e&er theodous and utterly resultless schee.'

#a$tan !ake looked &ery angry after hs fashon, but sad nothng. Hecould not at any te ha&e &ery %ell defned hs feelngs to%ard hssster, but nglng n the, certanly, %as a &en of unackno%ledgeddread, and, shall * say, res$ect. He kne% she %as resolute, ferce of%ll, and $ro$t n acton, and not to be bulled.

'There's ore n ths, Stanley, than you care to tell e. +ou ha&e nottroubled yourself a great deal about e, you kno%4 and *' no %orse offno% than any te for the last three years. +ou'&e KnotK coe do%n hereon KyK accountDDthat s, altogether and be your $lans %hat they ay,you sha'n't y nae n the. What you $leaseDD%se or foolshDDyou'lldo n %hat concerns yourselfDDyou al%ays Kha&eKDD%thout consultng e

but * tell you agan, Stanley, unless you $rose, u$on your honour, toforbear all enton of y nae, * %ll %rte ths e&enng to !ady#helford, a$$rsng her of your $lans, and of y o%n dsgust andndgnaton and reIuestng her son's nterference. K(oK you $rose'

'There's no such KhasteK, /ade. * only entoned t. *f you don't lket, of course t can lead to nothng, and there's no use n y s$eakngto Wylder, and so there's an end of t.'

'There KayK be soe use, a $ur$ose n %hch nether y feelngs nornterests ha&e any $art. * &enture to say, Stanley, your $lans are allfor KyourselfK. +ou %ant to etort soe ad&antage fro Wylder and you

thnk, n hs $resent stuaton, about to arry (orcas, you can use efor the $ur$ose. Thank Hea&en3 Sr, you cotted for once the rarendscreton of tellng the truth and unless you ake e the $rose *reIure, * %ll take, before e&enng, such easures as %ll co$letelyecul$ate e. @nce agan, do you $rose'

'+es, /ade ha, ha3 of course * $rose.'

'A$on your honour'

'A$on y honourDDKthereK.'

'* bele&e, you gentleen dragoons obser&e that oathDD* ho$e so. *f youchoose to break t you ay g&e e soe trouble, but you sha'n'tco$rose e. 5nd no%, Stanley, one %ord ore. * fancy r. Wylder s aresolute anDDnone of the Wylders %anted courage.'

#a$tan !ake %as by ths te slng hs sly, slee$y sle u$on hs"rench boots.

'*f you ha&e fored any $lan %hch de$ends u$on frghtenng h, t s ades$erate one. 5ll * can tell you, Stanley, s ths, that f * %ere aan, and an atte$t ade to etort fro e any sort of concesson byterror, * %ould shoot the screant %ho ade t through the head, lke a

hgh%ayan.'

'What the de&l are you talkng about' sad he.

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'5bout Kyour dangerK,' she ans%ered. '"or once n your lfe lsten toreason. ark Wylder s as $ro$t as you, and has ten tes your ner&e andsense you are ore lkely to ha&e cotted yourself than he. Take carehe ay retalate your KthreatK by a counter o&e ore dreadful. * kno%nothng of your dongs, StanleyDDHea&en forbd3 but be %arned, or you'llrue t.'

'Why, /ade, you kno% nothng of the %orld. (o you su$$ose *' Iutedeented 5sk a gentlean for hs estate, or %atch, because * kno%soethng to hs dsad&antage3 Why, ha, ha3 dear /ade, e&ery an %ho hase&er been on ters of ntacy %th another ust kno% thngs to hsdsad&antage, but no one thnks of tellng the. The %orld %ould nottolerate t. *t %ould $rejudce the betrayer at least as uch as thebetrayed. * don't affect to be angry, or talk roance and herocs,because you fancy such stuff but * assure youDD%hen %ll that old %oang&e e a cu$ of teaDD* assure you, /ade, there's nothng n t.'

/achel ade no re$ly, but she looked steadfastly and uneasly u$on theengatcal face and do%ncast eyes of the young an.

'Well, * ho$e so,' she sad at last, %th a sgh, and a slght sense ofrelef.

#H5PTE/ -***.

*> WH*#H #5PT5*> !5E T5ES H*S H5T 5>( ST*#.

So the young $eo$le sttng n the lttle dra%ngDroo of /edan's far$ursued ther dalogue /achel !ake had s$oken last, and t %as theca$tan's turn to s$eak net.

'(o you reeber ss Beaucha$, /ade' he asked rather suddenly, aftera &ery long $ause.

'ss Beaucha$ @h3 to be sure you ean lttle #arolne yes, she ustbe Iute gro%n u$ by ths teDDf&e yearsDDshe $rosed to be $retty.What of her'

/achel, &ery flushed and agtated stll, %as no% tryng to s$eak as

usual.

'She KsK goodDlookngDDa lttle coarse soe $eo$le thnk,' resued theyoung an 'but handsoe black eyesDDblack harDDrather on a largescale, but certanly handsoe. 5 style * adre rather, though t s not&ery refned, nor at all classc. But * lke her, and * %sh you'd ad&see.' He %as talkng, after hs %ont, to the car$et.

'@h' she eclaed, %th a gentle sort of derson.

'+ou ean,' he sad, lookng u$ for a oent, %th a sudden stare, 'shehas got oney. @f course she has * could not afford to adre her f she

had not but * see you are not just no% n a ood to trouble yourselfabout y nonsenseDD%e can talk about t toDorro% and tell e no%, ho%do you get on %th the Brandon $eo$le'

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/achel %as curous, and %ould, f she could, ha&e recalled that sarcastc'oh' %hch had $ost$oned the story but she %as also a lttle angry, and%th anger there %as $rde, %hch %ould not stoo$ to ask for there&elaton %hch he chose to defer so she sad, '(orcas and * are &erygood frends but * don't kno% &ery %ell %hat to ake of her. @nly *don't thnk she's Iute so dull and a$athetc as * at frst su$$osed butstll *' $uNNled. She s ether absolutely unnterestng, or &ery

nterestng ndeed, and * can't say %hch.'

'(oes she lke you' he asked.

'* really don't kno%. She tolerates e, lke e&erythng else and * don'tflatter her and %e see a good deal of one another u$on those ters, and* ha&e no co$lant to ake of her. She has soe a&ersons, but noIuarrels and has a sort of laNnessDDental, bodly, and oralDDthat ssuble, but $ro&okng and soetes * adre her, and soetes *des$se her and * do not yet kno% %hch feelng s the juster.'

'Surely she s %oan enough to be fussed a lttle about her arrage'

'@h, dear, no3 she takes the %hole affar %th a Iueenlke andsu$ernatural ndfference. She s ether a fool or a &ery great$hloso$her, and there s soethng grand n the serene obscurty thaten&elo$es her,' and /achel laughed a &ery lttle.

'* ust, * su$$ose, $ay y res$ects but toDorro% %ll be te enough.What $retty lttle teaDcu$s, /adeDDIute charngDDold cock chna, sn'tt These %ere 5unt Jea's, * thnk.'

'+es they used to stand on the lttle arble table bet%een the %ndo%s.'

@ld Taar had glded n %hle they here talkng, and $laced the lttletea eIu$age on the table unnotced, and the ca$tan %as s$$ng hs cu$of tea, and ns$ectng the $attern, %hle hs sster aused h.

'Ths $lace, * su$$ose, s confoundedly slo%, s not t (o theyentertan the neghbours e&er at Brandon'

'Soetes, %hen old !ady #helford and her son are stayng there.'

'But the neghbours can't entertan the, * fancy, or you. What a drearythng a dnner $arty ade u$ of such $eo$le ust beDDlke )5eso$'s"ables,) %here the co%s and shee$ con&erse.'

'5nd soetes a %olf or a fo,' she sad.

'Well, /ade, * kno% you ean e but as you %sh t, *'ll carry y fangselse%hereDDand %hat has becoe of Wll Wylder'

'@h3 he's n the #hurch3'