has occurred. God has got me in his power
at last, and is going to scourge me for my bad doings--that's what it
seems like. Sol, listen to me, and do exactly what I say. Go to
Anglebury, hire a brougham, bring it on as far as Little Enckworth: you
will have to meet me with it at one of the park gates later in the
evening--probably the west, at half-past seven. Leave it at the village
with the man, come on here on foot, and stay under the trees till just
before six: it will then be quite dark, and you must stand under the
projecting balustrade a little further on than the door you came in by. I
will just step upon the balcony over it, and tell you more exactly than I
can now the precise time that I shall be able to slip out, and where the
carriage is to be waiting. But it may not be safe to speak on account of
his closeness to me--I will hand down a note. I find it is impossible to
leave the house by daylight--I am certain to be pursued--he already
suspects something. Now I must be going, or he will be here, for he
watches my movements because of some accidental words that escaped me.'

'Berta, I shan't have anything to do with this,' said Sol. 'It is not
right!'

'I am only going to Rouen, to Aunt Charlotte!' she implored. 'I want to
get to Southampton, to be in time for the midnight steamer. When I am at
Rouen I can negotiate with Lord Mountclere the terms on which I will
return to him. It is the only chance I have of rooting out a scandal and
a disgrace which threatens the beginning of my life here! My letters to
him, and his to me, can be forwarded through you or through father, and
he will not know where I am. Any woman is justified in adopting such a
course to bring her husband to a sense of her dignity. If I don't go
away now, it will end in a permanent separation. If I leave at once, and
stipulate that he gets rid of her, we may be reconciled.'

'I can't help you: you must stick to your husband. I don't like them, or
any of their sort, barring about three or four, for the reason that they
despise me and all my sort. But, Ethelberta, for all that I'll play fair
with them. No half-and-half trimming business. You have joined 'em, and
'rayed yourself against us; and there you'd better bide. You have
married your man, and your duty is towards him. I know what he is and so
does father; but if I were to help you to run away now, I should scorn
myself more than I scorn him.'

'I don't care for t