keeping the path against that father--Carlyle and the
young lady. Of all the nights in the previous seven years, that one only
saw the unhappy son at home for a half hour's meeting with his mother
and sister. Carlyle, in the grief and excitement caused by your conduct,
confided so much to me, when mentioning what kept him from the dinner
party."

Her face had become crimson--crimson at her past lamentable folly. And
there was no redemption!

"But he was always with Barbara Hare," she murmured, by way of some
faint excuse.

"I have mentioned so. She had to see him upon this affair, her mother
could not, for it was obliged to be kept from the father. And so, you
construed business interviews into assignations!" continued Lord Mount
Severn with cutting derision. "I had given you credit for better sense.
But was _this_ enough to hurl you on the step you took? Surely not. You
must have yielded in the persuasions of that wicked man."

"It is all over now," she wailed.

"Carlyle was true and faithful to you, and to you alone. Few women have
the chance of happiness, in their married life, in the degree that you
had. He is an upright and good man; one of nature's gentlemen; one that
England may be proud of as having grown upon her soil. The more I see
of him, the greater becomes my admiration of him, and of his thorough
honor. Do you know what he did in the matter of the damages?"

She shook her head.

"He did not wish to proceed for damages, or only for the trifling
sum demanded by law; but the jury, feeling for his wrongs, gave
unprecedently heavy ones. Since the fellow came into his baronetcy
they have been paid. Carlyle immediately handed them over to the county
hospital. He holds the apparently obsolete opinion that money cannot
wipe out a wife's dishonor."

"Let us close those topics" implored the poor invalid. "I acted wickedly
and madly, and have the consequences to bear forever. More I cannot
say."

"Where do you intend to fix your future residence?" inquired the earl.

"I am unable to tell. I shall leave this town as soon as I am well
enough."

"Aye. It cannot be pleasant for you to remain under the eyes of its
inhabitants. You were here with him, were you not?"

"They think I am his wife," she murmured. "The servants think it."

"That's well, so far. How many servants have you?"

"Two. I am not strong enough yet to do much myself, so am obliged to
keep two," she continued, as if in apology for the e