that the fond soul would die
rather than reveal it; and bidding her keep the secret from all, he laid
it entirely before his mistress (always as staunch a little loyalist as
any in the kingdom), and indeed was quite sure that any plan, of his was
secure of her applause and sympathy. Never was such a glorious scheme to
her partial mind, never such a devoted knight to execute it. An hour or
two may have passed whilst they were having their colloquy. Beatrix came
out to them just as their talk was over; her tall beautiful form robed
in sable (which she wore without ostentation ever since last year's
catastrophe), sweeping over the green terrace, and casting its shadows
before her across the grass.

She made us one of her grand curtsies smiling, and called us "the
young people." She was older, paler, and more majestic than in the year
before; her mother seemed the youngest of the two. She never once spoke
of her grief, Lady Castlewood told Esmond, or alluded, save by a quiet
word or two, to the death of her hopes.

When Beatrix came back to Castlewood she took to visiting all the
cottages and all the sick. She set up a school of children, and taught
singing to some of them. We had a pair of beautiful old organs in
Castlewood Church, on which she played admirably, so that the music
there became to be known in the country for many miles round, and no
doubt people came to see the fair organist as well as to hear her.
Parson Tusher and his wife were established at the vicarage, but his
wife had brought him no children wherewith Tom might meet his enemies
at the gate. Honest Tom took care not to have many such, his great
shovel-hat was in his hand for everybody. He was profuse of bows
and compliments. He behaved to Esmond as if the Colonel had been a
Commander-in-Chief; he dined at the hall that day, being Sunday, and
would not partake of pudding except under extreme pressure. He deplored
my lord's perversion, but drank his lordship's health very devoutly;
and an hour before at church sent the Colonel to sleep, with a long,
learned, and refreshing sermon.

Esmond's visit home was but for two days; the business he had in hand
calling him away and out of the country. Ere he went, he saw Beatrix
but once alone, and then she summoned him out of the long tapestry room,
where he and his mistress were sitting, quite as in old times, into
the adjoining chamber, that had been Viscountess Isabel's sleeping
apartment, and where Esmond p