nicative. But before the
dressing-bell had rung he had been coaxed into a confidential strain
and had told everything. "I suppose it is wrong and selfish," he
said. "I suppose I am a dog in a manger. But I do own that there is a
consolation to me in the assurance that she will never be the wife of
that scoundrel."

"I could never forgive her if she were to marry him now," said Lady
Julia.

"I could never forgive him. But she has said that she will not, and I
know that she will not forswear herself. I shall go on with it, Lady
Julia. I have made up my mind to that. I suppose it will never come
to anything, but I shall stick to it. I can live an old bachelor as
well as another man. At any rate I shall stick to it." Then the good
silly old woman comforted him and applauded him as though he were a
hero among men, and did reward him, as Lily had predicted, by one of
those now rare bottles of super-excellent port which had come to her
from her brother's cellar.

John Eames stayed out his time at the cottage, and went over more
than once again to Allington, and called on the squire, on one
occasion dining with him and meeting the three ladies from the Small
House; and he walked with the girls, comporting himself like any
ordinary man. But he was not again alone with Lily Dale, nor did he
learn whether she had in truth written those two words in her book.
But the reader may know that she did write them there on the evening
of the day on which the promise was made. "Lilian Dale,--Old Maid".

And when John's holiday was over, he returned to his duties at the
elbow of Sir Raffle Buffle.

CHAPTER XXXVI

Grace Crawley Returns Home

[Illustration]

About this time Grace Crawley received two letters, the first of
them reaching her while John Eames was still at the cottage, and
the other immediately after his return to London. They both help to
tell our story, and our reader shall, therefore, read them if he
so please,--or, rather, he shall read the first and as much of the
second as is necessary for him. Grace's answer to the first letter he
shall see also. Her answer to the second will be told in a very few
words. The first was from Major Grantly, and the task of answering
that was by no means easy to Grace.

COSBY LODGE, -- February, 186--

DEAREST GRACE,

I told you when I parted from you, that I should write
to you, and I think it best to do so at once, in order
that you may fully understa