Arundale, a woman almost like yourself. To her, when I carried Christal
home, I was obliged to reveal something of the truth, though not much.
How the miserable girl contrived to escape, we cannot tell; but it will
not happen again. Do not be unhappy about your sister; take care of your
own health. Think how precious you are to my mother and to--all your
friends. This letter is abrupt, for my thoughts are still bewildered,
but I will write again soon. Only let me hear that you are well, and
that in this matter you trust to me."

... "I have not seen Christal for many days until yesterday. She has
had a severe illness; during which Lady Arundale has been almost like a
mother to her. We thought it best that she should see no one else; but
yesterday she sent for me, and I went. She was lying on a sofa, her high
spirit utterly broken. She faintly smiled when I came in, but her mouth
had a patient sunken look, such as I have seen you wear when you were
ill last year. She reminded me of you much--I could almost have wept
over her. Do you not think I am strangely changed? I do sometimes--but
no more of this now.

"Christal made no allusion to the past. She said, 'She desired to speak
to me about her future--to consult me about a plan she had.' It was
one at which I did not marvel She wished to hide herself from the world
altogether in some life which in its eternal quiet might be most like
death.

"I said to her, 'I will see what can be done, but it is not easy. There
are no convents or monasteries open to us Protestants.'

"Christal looked for a moment like her own scornful self. '_Us
Protestants?_' she echoed; and then she said, humbly, 'One more
confession can be nothing to me now. I have deceived you all;--I am, and
I have ever been--a Roman Catholic.'

"She thought, perhaps, I should have blamed her for this long course of
religious falsehood. I blame _her!_ (Olive, for God's sake do not let my
mother read all I write to you. She shall know everything soon, but not
now.)

"'But you will not thwart me,' Christal said; 'though you are an English
clergyman, you will find me some resting-place, some convent where I can
hide, and no one ever hear of me any more.'

"I found that to oppose her was useless: little religion she ever seemed
to have had, so that no devoteeism urged her to this scheme: she only
wanted rest. You will agree with me that it is best she should have her
will, for the time at least?"

... "I have