after
all, one did render a service to the younger lady?

At all events, as I say, I gave no sign to Ambrose Tester that I
understood him, that I guessed what he wished to come to. He got no
satisfaction out of me that day; it is very true that he made up for it
later. I expressed regret at Lord Vandeleur's illness, inquired into its
nature and origin, hoped it would n't prove as grave as might be
feared, said I would call at the house and ask about him, commiserated
discreetly her ladyship, and in short gave my young man no chance
whatever. He knew that I had guessed his _arriere-pensee_, but he let
me off for the moment, for which I was thankful; either because he was
still ashamed of it, or because he supposed I was reserving myself for
the catastrophe,--should it occur. Well, my dear, it did occur, at the
end of ten days. Mr. Tester came to see me twice in that interval, each
time to tell me that poor Vandeleur was worse; he had some internal
inflammation which, in nine cases out of ten, is fatal. His wife was
all devotion; she was with him night and day. I had the news from other
sources as well; I leave you to imagine whether in London, at the height
of the season, such a situation could fail to be considerably discussed.
To the discussion as yet, however, I contributed little, and with
Ambrose Tester nothing at all. I was still on my guard. I never admitted
for a moment that it was possible there should be any change in his
plans. By this time, I think, he had quite ceased to be ashamed of his
idea, he was in a state almost of exaltation about it; but he was very
angry with me for not giving him an opening.

As I look back upon the matter now, there is something almost amusing in
the way we watched each other,--he thinking that I evaded his question
only to torment him (he believed me, or pretended to believe me, capable
of this sort of perversity), and I determined not to lose ground by
betraying an insight into his state of mind which he might twist into an
expression of sympathy. I wished to leave my sympathy where I had placed
it, with Lady Emily and her daughter, of whom I continued, bumping
against them at parties, to have some observation. They gave no signal
of alarm; of course it would have been premature. The girl, I am sure,
had no idea of the existence of a rival. How they had kept her in the
dark I don't know; but it was easy to see she was too much in love to
suspect or to criticise. With Lady Emil