d were consequently a long way behind.
Arthur was soon at my side again; but not disposed to talk to him, I
broke into a gallop. He did the same; and we did not slacken our pace
till we came up with Miss Wilmot and Lord Lowborough, which was within
half a mile of the park-gates. I avoided all further conversation with
him till we came to the end of our ride, when I meant to jump off my
horse and vanish into the house, before he could offer his assistance;
but while I was disengaging my habit from the crutch, he lifted me off,
and held me by both hands, asserting that he would not let me go till I
had forgiven him.

'I have nothing to forgive,' said I. 'You have not injured me.'

'No, darling--God forbid that I should! but you are angry because it was
to me that Annabella confessed her lack of esteem for her lover.'

'No, Arthur, it is not that that displeases me: it is the whole system of
your conduct towards your friend, and if you wish me to forget it, go
now, and tell him what sort of a woman it is that he adores so madly, and
on whom he has hung his hopes of future happiness.'

'I tell you, Helen, it would break his heart--it would be the death of
him--besides being a scandalous trick to poor Annabella. There is no
help for him now; he is past praying for. Besides, she may keep up the
deception to the end of the chapter; and then he will be just as happy in
the illusion as if it were reality; or perhaps he will only discover his
mistake when he has ceased to love her; and if not, it is much better
that the truth should dawn gradually upon him. So now, my angel, I hope
I have made out a clear case, and fully convinced you that I cannot make
the atonement you require. What other requisition have you to make?
Speak, and I will gladly obey.'

'I have none but this,' said I, as gravely as before: 'that, in future,
you will never make a jest of the sufferings of others, and always use
your influence with your friends for their own advantage against their
evil propensities, instead of seconding their evil propensities against
themselves.'

'I will do my utmost,' said he, 'to remember and perform the injunctions
of my angel monitress;' and after kissing both my gloved hands, he let me
go.

When I entered my room, I was surprised to see Annabella Wilmot standing
before my toilet-table, composedly surveying her features in the glass,
with one hand flirting her gold-mounted whip, and the other holding up
her lon