, in the carriage? It is not fit
to ride."

"Well, if I see the Doctor, I will tell him a lady has laid on him her
commands to take care of his precious health and come home early under
my escort."

"Yes, you must say a lady; and he will think it is his mother, and be
obedient And, papa, mind to come soon, for I _shall_ watch and listen."

The door closed, and the carriage rolled softly through the snow; and
back returned the Countess, pensive and anxious.

She _did_ listen, and watch, when evening closed; but it was in
stillest sort: walking the drawing-room with quite noiseless step. She
checked at intervals her velvet march; inclined her ear, and consulted
the night sounds: I should rather say, the night silence; for now, at
last, the wind was fallen. The sky, relieved of its avalanche, lay
naked and pale: through the barren boughs of the avenue we could see it
well, and note also the polar splendour of the new-year moon--an orb
white as a world of ice. Nor was it late when we saw also the return of
the carriage.

Paulina had no dance of welcome for this evening. It was with a sort of
gravity that she took immediate possession of her father, as he entered
the room; but she at once made him her entire property, led him to the
seat of her choice, and, while softly showering round him honeyed words
of commendation for being so good and coming home so soon, you would
have thought it was entirely by the power of her little hands he was
put into his chair, and settled and arranged; for the strong man seemed
to take pleasure in wholly yielding himself to this dominion-potent
only by love.

Graham did not appear till some minutes after the Count. Paulina half
turned when his step was heard: they spoke, but only a word or two;
their fingers met a moment, but obviously with slight contact. Paulina
remained beside her father; Graham threw himself into a seat on the
other side of the room.

It was well that Mrs. Bretton and Mr. Home had a great deal to say to
each other-almost an inexhaustible fund of discourse in old
recollections; otherwise, I think, our party would have been but a
still one that evening.

After tea, Paulina's quick needle and pretty golden thimble were busily
plied by the lamp-light, but her tongue rested, and her eyes seemed
reluctant to raise often their lids, so smooth and so full-fringed.
Graham, too, must have been tired with his day's work: he listened
dutifully to his elders and betters, sai