Miss Halkett, and Mr. Tuckham
come frequently. Captain Beauchamp spoke to her yesterday of her
marriage. 'Madame de R. leaves us to-morrow. Her brother is a
delightful, gay-tempered, very handsome boyish Frenchman--not her equal,
to my mind, for I do not think Frenchmen comparable to the women of
France; but she is exceedingly grave, with hardly a smile, and his high
spirits excite Nevil's, so it is pleasant to see them together.'

The letter was handed to Lady Romfrey. She read through it thoughtfully
till she came to the name of Nevil, when she frowned. On the morrow she
pronounced it a disingenuous letter. Renee had sent her these lines:

'I should come to you if my time were not restricted; my brother's leave
of absence is short. I have done here what lay in my power, to show you
I have learnt something in the school of self-immolation. I have seen
Mlle. Halkett. She is a beautiful young woman, deficient only in words,
doubtless. My labour, except that it may satisfy you, was the vainest of
tasks. She marries a ruddy monsieur of a name that I forget, and of the
bearing of a member of the gardes du corps, without the stature. Enfin,
madame, I have done my duty, and do not regret it, since I may hope that
it will win for me some approbation and a portion of the esteem of a
lady to whom I am indebted for that which is now the best of life to me:
and I do not undervalue it in saying I would gladly have it stamped on
brass and deposited beside my father's. I have my faith. I would it were
Nevil's too--and yours, should you be in need of it.

'He will marry Mlle. Denham. If I may foretell events, she will steady
him. She is a young person who will not feel astray in society of his
rank; she possesses the natural grace we do not expect to see out of our
country--from sheer ignorance of what is beyond it. For the moment she
affects to consider herself unworthy; and it is excuseable that she
should be slightly alarmed at her prospect. But Nevil must have a wife.
I presume to think that he could not have chosen better. Above all, make
him leave England for the Winter. Adieu, dear countess. Nevil promises
me a visit after his marriage. I shall not set foot on England again:
but you, should you ever come to our land of France, will find my heart
open to you at the gates of undying grateful recollection. I am not
skilled in writing. You have looked into me once; look now; I am the
same. Only I have succeeded in bringing myself