ttled upon me, despite all my efforts to face the future and
think only of the duties of life--not its sorrows.

CHAPTER IV.

Before nine o'clock Lady Ellinor arrived, and went straight into Miss
Trevanion's room; I took refuge in my uncle's. Roland was awake and
calm, but so feeble that he made no effort to rise; and it was his
calm, indeed, that alarmed me the most,--it was like the calm of nature
thoroughly exhausted. He obeyed me mechanically, as a patient takes from
your hand the draught, of which he is almost unconscious, when I pressed
him to take food. He smiled on me faintly when I spoke to him, but made
me a sign that seemed to implore silence. Then he turned his face from
me and buried it in the pillow; and I thought that he slept again,
when, raising himself a little, and feeling for my hand, he said, in a
scarcely audible voice,--

"Where is he?"

"Would you see him, sir?"

"No, no; that would kill me,--and then what would become of him?"

"He has promised me an interview, and in that interview I feel assured
he will obey your wishes, whatever they are." Roland made no answer.

"Lord Castleton has arranged all, so that his name and madness (thus let
us call it) will never be known."

"Pride, pride, pride still!" murmured the old soldier. "The name, the
name,--well, that is much; but the living soul!--I wish Austin were
here."

"I have sent for him, sir."

Roland pressed my hand, and was again silent. Then he began to mutter,
as I thought, incoherently about the Peninsula and obeying orders; and
how some officer woke Lord Wellington at night and said that something
or other (I could not catch what,--the phrase was technical and
military) was impossible; and how Lord Wellington asked, "Where's
the order-book?" and looking into the order-book, said, "Not at all
impossible, for it is in the order-book;" and so Lord Wellington turned
round and went to sleep again. Then suddenly Roland half rose, and said,
in a voice clear and firm, "But Lord Wellington, though a great
captain, was a fallible man, sir, and the order-book was his own mortal
handiwork. Get me the Bible!"

Oh, Roland, Roland! and I had feared that thy mind was wandering!

So I went down and borrowed a Bible in large characters, and placed it
on the bed before him, opening the shutters and letting in God's day
upon God's word.

I had just done this when there was a slight knock at the door. I opened
it, and Lord Castleton stood