it with a steady gaze
of insulting pertinacity, and said--

"Kill me not with a look, fair lady; for though lovely is the
light of a dark eye in woman, it is also wondrous strong, and
can deal wounds which time may not heal."

"It speaks," I replied, "what time cannot change, nor flattery
avert."
"Indeed," he rejoined, "are its decrees so unchangeable?"

After a pause he continued--

"Mr. Lovell is an excellent husband, is not he? and amiable in
all the relations of life? He is your uncle by marriage, I
believe? It is touching to see his devotion to you in that
character."

The calm insolence with which this was said stung me to the
quick, and I answered with vehemence--

"He is at least neither a liar nor a hypocrite; and it would
have been well for him had he never fallen in with either."

Not a muscle of Mr. Escourt's face moved; and, with a bland
smile, he said--

"Your remark is just, fair depositary of your adopted uncle's
secrets. Your descriptions of character are admirable, refined
in their conception, and bold in their execution--very bold
indeed. This last specimen shall remain engraved in my memory.
It fully deserves it."

We had now reached the house; and I entered it with the
consciousness, that, in addition to my other difficulties and
dangers, I had made myself that morning a deadly enemy.

CHAPTER XVI.

"Do you not fear, I will stand between you and danger."

SHAKESPEARE.

The tedious hours of the two next days dragged on their weary
length through the ordinary course of meals, walks, idle
occupation, and unprofitable talk. Everything jarred upon my
nerves and irritated my temper during this trying time of
suspense. Edward's fever still continued, and though there was
nothing positively alarming in it, yet it kept us in a state
of anxiety. He was not allowed to get up, and I did not see
him; but almost all my time was spent in watching for Mrs.
Middleton, who was indefatigable in her attention to him, and
who, from hour to hour, brought me messages from him, and
accounts of the various fluctuations in his state. When I went
into the drawing-room, Rosa's liveliness, Mr. Escourt's mute
attitude of defiance, Mr. Manby's tediousness, and Mr. and
Mrs. Moore's over-solicitude about everything, in turns
worried and bored me.

At the end of the second day, as the time drew near when I
might expect to receive Henry's answer, this feverish
impatience increased to such a degr