you to throw yourself
away upon Mr. Carlyle."

"Throw myself away!" she indignantly uttered, roused to the retort. "Mr.
Carlyle is my dear husband, esteemed, respected, and beloved. I married
him of my own free choice, and I have never repented it; I have grown
more attached to him day by day. Look at his noble nature, his noble
form; what are _you_ by his side? You forget yourself, Francis Levison."

He bit his lip. "No, I do not."

"You are talking to me as you have no right to talk!" she exclaimed,
in agitation. "Who but you, would so insult me, taking advantage of my
momentarily unprotected condition. Would you dare to do it, were Mr.
Carlyle within reach! I wish you good-evening, sir."

She walked away as quickly as her tired frame would permit. Captain
Levison strode after her. He took forcible possession of her hand, and
placed it within his arm.

"I pray you forgive and forget what has escaped me, Lady Isabel. Suffer
me to be, as before, the kind friend, the anxious brother endeavoring to
be of service to you in the absence of Mr. Carlyle."

"It is what I have suffered you to be, looking upon you as, I may say,
a relative," she coldly rejoined, withdrawing her hand from his contact.
"Not else should I have permitted your incessant companionship; and this
is how you have repaid it! My husband thanked you for your attention to
me; could he have read what was in your false heart, he had offered you
different sort of thanks, I fancy."

"I ask your pardon, Lady Isabel; I have acknowledged my fault, and I can
do no more. I will not so offend again; but there are moments when
our dearest feelings break through the convenances of life and betray
themselves, in spite of our sober judgment. Suffer me to support you
down this steep hill," he added, for they were then going over the sharp
stones of the Grand Rue; "you are not strong enough to proceed alone,
after this evening's long walk."

"You should have thought of that before," she said, with some sarcasm in
her tone. "No; I have declined."

So she had to put his arm back, which he was holding out, as she walked
on unsupported, with what strength she had, he continuing by her side.
Arriving at her own door, she wished him a cool good-evening, and he
turned away in the direction of his hotel.

Lady Isabel brushed past Peter, and flew upstairs, startling Wilson,
who had taken possession of the drawing-room to air her smart cap at its
windows in the absence of