her sister, and the cause of it, it
can only be because she is occupied with her own concerns."

"That is not like Margaret," thought Mr Hope.

"However, she does see it, I am sure; for she has proposed their return
to Birmingham,--their immediate return, though their affairs are far
from being settled yet, and they do not know what they will have to live
upon. They promised to stay till October, too; and we are only half
through August yet. Margaret can hardly have any wish to leave us on
her own account, considering whom she must leave behind. It is for
Hester's sake, I am confident. There is no doubt of the fact, Mr Hope.
Your honour is involved. I repeat, you have won this dear girl's
affections; and now you must act as a man of conscience, which I have
always supposed you to be."

Mr Hope was tempted to ask for further confirmation, from the opinions
of the people who were about Hester; but he would not investigate the
degree of exposure which might have taken place. Even if no one agreed
with Mrs Grey, this would be no proof that her conviction was a wrong
one; it might happen through Hester's successful concealment of what she
must be striving to suppress.

Mrs Grey urged him about his honour and conscience more closely than he
could bear. He faintly begged her to leave him. He obtained from her a
promise that she would inform no person of what had been said; and she
again assured him that neither Hester, nor any one else, had the
remotest idea of her speaking as she had done this evening. On his
part, Mr Hope declared that he should reflect on what had passed, and
act with the strictest regard to duty. As, in Mrs Grey's eyes, his
duty was perfectly clear, this declaration was completely satisfactory.
She saw the young people, with her mind's eye, settled in the corner
house which belonged to Mr Rowland, and was delighted that she had
spoken. As soon as she was gone, Mr Hope would discover, she had
little doubt, that he had loved Hester all this time without having been
conscious what the attraction had really been; and in a little while he
would be thankful to her for having smoothed his way for him. With
these thoughts in her mind, she bade him good-night, just as Mr Grey
drove up to the door. She whispered once more, that he was as dear to
her as a son, and that this was the reason of her having spoken so
plainly.

"How are you this evening, Hope?" said Mr Grey, from the doorway. "On
the so