ful seat, and his handsome figure and fine
gentlemanly carriage never appeared to greater advantage than when he
did his best to be a centaur. The slow progress of the lumbering vehicle
might have been of some inconvenience, but his horse was trained to
canter to a walk when he pleased, and, leaning to the window of the
carriage, and sometimes resting his hand upon it, he contrived to carry
on the conversation with those within almost as easily as in a
drawing-room.

Just as the carriage was approaching the gate, Marlow said: "I think I
shall not go in with you, Sir Philip; for I have a little business
farther on, and I have ridden more slowly than I thought;" but before
the sentence was well concluded, the gates of the park were opened by
the porter, and Mrs. Hazleton herself appeared within, leaning on the
arm of her maid. She had calculated well the period of Emily's arrival,
and had gone out to the gate for the purpose of giving her an extremely
hospitable welcome. Probably, had she not hated her as warmly and
sincerely as she did, she would have stayed at home; our attention is
ever doubtful.

But what were Mrs. Hazleton's feelings when she saw Mr. Marlow riding by
the side of the carriage? I will not attempt to describe them; but for
one instant a strange dark cloud passed over her beautiful face. It was
banished in an instant; but not before Marlow had remarked both the
expression itself and the sudden glance of the lady's eyes from him to
Emily. For the first time a doubt, a suspicion, a something he did not
like to fathom, came over his mind; and he resolved to watch. Neither
Emily nor her father perceived that look, and as the next moment the
beautiful face was once more as bright as ever, they felt pleased with
her kind eagerness to meet them; and alighting from the carriage, walked
on with her to the house, while Marlow, dismounted, accompanied them,
leading his horse.

"I am glad to see you, Mr. Marlow," said Mrs. Hazleton, in a tone from
which she could not do what she would--banish all bitterness. "I suppose
I owe the pleasure of your visit to that which you yourself feel in
escorting a fair lady."

"I must not, I fear, pretend to such gallantry," replied Marlow. "I
overtook the carriage accidentally as I was riding to Mr. Cornelius
Brown's; and to say the truth, I did not intend to come in, for I am
somewhat late."

"Cold comfort for my vanity," replied the lady, "that you would not have
paid me a