in! The whole narrative
and its author are palpably before me.'

A deep blush covered her cheek as I rose hastily from my chair.

'John, dear John, sit down again,' said she, 'I have only been in jest
all this time. You surely do not suppose me silly enough to credit one
word of all this?'

'It must have been told you, however,' said I, fixing my eyes on her as
I spoke.

The redness of her cheek grew deeper, and her confusion increased to
a painful extent, as, taking my hand in hers, she said in a low, soft
voice--

'I have been very, very foolish; but you will promise me never to
remember--at least never to act upon--the----'

The words became fainter and fainter as she spoke, and at last died
away inaudibly; and suddenly there shot across my mind the passage in
O'Grady's letter. The doubt once suggested, gained strength at every
moment: she loved De Vere. I will not attempt to convey the conflicting
storm of passion this thought stirred up within me.

I turned towards her. Her head was thrown gently back, and her deep-blue
lustrous eyes were fixed on me as if waiting my reply. A tear rolled
heavily along her cheek; it was the first I ever saw her shed. Pressing
her hand to my lips, I muttered the words, 'Trust me, Julia,' and left
the room. 'Sir George wishes to see you, sir, in his own room,' said a
servant, as I stood stunned and overcome by the discovery I had made of
my cousin's affection. I had no time given me for further reflection as
I followed the man to my father's room.

'Sit down, Jack,' said my father, as he turned the key in the door. 'I
wish to talk to you alone here. I have been with the duke this morning;
a little explanation has satisfied him that your conduct was perfectly
irreproachable in Ireland. He writes by this post to the viceroy to
make the whole thing clear, and indeed he offered to reinstate you at
once--which I refused, however. Now to something graver still, my boy,
and which I wish I could spare you; but it cannot be.'

As he spoke these words he leaned his head in both his hands, and was
silent. A confused, imperfect sense of some impending bad news almost
stupefied me, and I waited without speaking. When my father lifted up
his head his face was pale and care-worn, and an expression such as
long illness leaves had usurped the strong and manly character of his
countenance.

'Come, my boy, I must not keep you longer in suspense. Fortune has dealt
hardly with me since we par