d under whose care she will remain, until the time arrives for
our marriage. The reasons which have led to her taking this step, and
which oblige her to keep her new place of residence concealed for the
present, will be frankly stated to you and to her father on the day when
we are man and wife. In the meantime, Lucilla begs that you will excuse
her abrupt departure, and that you will be so good as to send this letter
on to her father. Both you and he will, I hope, remember that she is of
an age to act for herself, and that she is only hastening her marriage
with a man to whom she has been long engaged, with the sanction and
approval of her family--Believe me, Madam, your faithful Servant,

"OSCAR DUBOURG."

This letter was delivered at luncheon-time--almost at the moment when the
servant had announced to her mistress that Miss Finch was nowhere to be
found, and that her traveling-bag had disappeared from her room. The
London train had then started. Miss Batchford, having no right to
interfere, decided--after consultation with a friend--on at once
traveling to Dimchurch, and placing the matter in Mr. Finch's hands.--P.]

CHAPTER THE FORTY-SIXTH

The Italian Steamer

LUCILLA'S Journal has told you all that Lucilla can tell. Permit me to
reappear in these pages. Shall I say, with your favorite English clown,
reappearing every year in your barbarous English pantomime, "Here I am
again: how do you do?" No--I had better leave that out. Your clown is one
of your national institutions. With this mysterious source of British
amusement let no foreign person presume to trifle.

I arrived at Marseilles, as well as I can remember, on the fifteenth of
August.

You cannot be expected to feel any interest in good Papa. I will pass
over this venerable victim of the amiable delusions of the heart, as
rapidly as respect and affection will permit. The duel (I hope you
remember the duel?) had been fought with pistols; and the bullet had not
been extracted when I joined my sisters at the sufferer's bedside. He was
delirious and did not know me. Two days later, the removal of the bullet
was accomplished by the surgeon in attendance. For a time, he improved
after this. Then there was a relapse. It was only on the first of
September that we were permitted to hope he might still be spared to us.

On that date, I was composed enough to think again of Lucilla, and to
remember Mrs. Finch's polite request to me that I would write to her