American. All his
family, all his friends, all his world would be against him. And then
he was so young,--and, as she thought, so easily led. He was lovable
and prone to love;--but surely his love could not be very strong, or
he would not have changed so easily.

She did not hesitate to own to herself that this American was very
lovely. She too, herself, was beautiful. She too had a reputation for
grace, loveliness, and feminine high-bred charm. She knew all that,
but she knew also that her attractions were not so bright as those
of her rival. She could not smile or laugh and throw sparks of
brilliance around her as did the American girl. Miss Boncassen could
be graceful as a nymph in doing the awkwardest thing! When she had
pretended to walk stiffly along, to some imaginary marriage ceremony,
with her foot stuck out before her, with her chin in the air, and one
arm akimbo, Silverbridge had been all afire with admiration. Lady
Mabel understood it all. The American girl must be taken away,--from
out of the reach of the young man's senses,--and then the struggle
must be made.

Lady Mabel had not been long at Matching before she learned that she
had much in her favour. She perceived that the Duke himself had no
suspicion of what was going on, and that he was strongly disposed in
her favour. She unravelled it all in her own mind. There must have
been some agreement, between the father and the son, when the son had
all but made his offer to her. More than once she was half-minded to
speak openly to the Duke, to tell him all that Silverbridge had said
to her and all that he had not said, and to ask the father's help in
scheming against that rival. But she could not find the words with
which to begin. And then, might he not despise her, and, despising
her, reject her, were she to declare her desire to marry a man who
had given his heart to another woman? And so, when the Duke asked her
to remain after the departure of the other guests, she decided that
it would be best to bide her time. The Duke, as she assented, kissed
her hand, and she knew that this sign of grace was given to his
intended daughter-in-law.

In all this she half-confided her thoughts and her prospects to her
old friend, Miss Cassewary. "That girl has gone at last," she said to
Miss Cass.

"I fear she has left her spells behind her, my dear."

"Of course she has. The venom out of the snake's tooth will poison
all the blood; but still the poor bitten wre