r.

I had not to wait long for the test. After a few moments of my lady's
amiable and kindly conversation, Barbara entered from the room behind,
and with her Lord Carford. He wore a disturbed air, which his affected
composure could not wholly conceal; her cheek was flushed, and she
seemed vexed; but I did not notice these things so much as the change
which had been wrought in her by the last four years. She had become a
very beautiful woman, ornamented with a high-bred grace and exquisite
haughtiness, tall and slim, carrying herself with a delicate dignity.
She gave me her hand to kiss, carelessly enough, and rather as though
she acknowledged an old acquaintance than found any pleasure in its
renewal. But she was gentle to me, and I detected in her manner a subtle
indication that, although she knew all, yet she pitied rather than
blamed; was not Simon very young and ignorant, and did not all the world
know how easily even honest young men might be beguiled by cunning
women? An old friend must not turn her back on account of a folly,
distasteful as it might be to her to be reminded of such matters.

My lord, I think, read his daughter very well, and, being determined to
afford me an opportunity to make my peace, engaged Lord Carford in
conversation, and bade her lead me into the room behind to see the
picture that Lely had lately painted of her. She obeyed; and, having
brought me to where it hung, listened patiently to my remarks on it,
which I tried to shape into compliments that should be pleasing and yet
not gross. Then, taking courage, I ventured to assure her that I fell
out with Lord Carford in sheer ignorance that he was a friend of her
family, and would have borne anything at his hands had I known it. She
smiled, answering,

"But you did him no harm," and she glanced at my arm in its sling.

She had not troubled herself to ask how it did, and I, a little nettled
at her neglect, said:

"Nay, all ended well. I alone was hurt, and the great lord came off
safe."

"Since the great lord was in the right," said she, "we should all
rejoice at that. Are you satisfied with your examination of the picture,
Mr Dale?"

I was not to be turned aside so easily.

"If you hold me to have been wrong, then I have done what I could to put
myself in the right since," said I, not doubting that she knew of my
surrender of the commission.

"I don't understand," said she, with a quick glance. "What have you
done?"

In wonder