n it."

"Justice, Ludovic? I don't know about justice, but there was great
Christian charity. Mrs. Crawley has probably owed her life to Miss
Robarts."

"Has she been ill? Is she ill? I insist upon knowing whether she
is ill. I shall go over to Hogglestock myself immediately after
breakfast." To this Lady Lufton made no reply. If Lord Lufton chose
to go to Hogglestock she could not prevent him. She thought, however,
that it would be much better that he should stay away. He would be
quite as open to the infection as Lucy Robarts and, moreover, Mrs.
Crawley's bedside would be as inconvenient a place as might be
selected for any interview between two lovers. Lady Lufton felt at
the present moment that she was cruelly treated by circumstances with
reference to Miss Robarts. Of course it would have been her part to
lessen, if she could do so without injustice, that high idea which
her son entertained of the beauty and worth of the young lady; but,
unfortunately, she had been compelled to praise her and to load her
name with all manner of eulogy. Lady Lufton was essentially a true
woman, and not even with the object of carrying out her own views in
so important a matter would she be guilty of such deception as she
might have practised by simply holding her tongue; but nevertheless
she could hardly reconcile herself to the necessity of singing Lucy's
praises.

After breakfast Lady Lufton got up from her chair, but hung about the
room without making any show of leaving. In accordance with her usual
custom she would have asked her son what he was going to do; but
she did not dare so to inquire now. Had he not declared, only a few
minutes since, whither he would go? "I suppose I shall see you at
lunch?" at last she said.

"At lunch? Well, I don't know. Look here, mother. What am I to say to
Miss Robarts when I see her?" and he leaned with his back against the
chimney-piece as he interrogated his mother.

"What are you to say to her, Ludovic?"

"Yes, what am I to say,--as coming from you? Am I to tell her that
you will receive her as your daughter-in-law?"

"Ludovic, I have explained all that to Miss Robarts herself."

"Explained what?"

"I have told her that I did not think that such a marriage would make
either you or her happy."

"And why have you told her so? Why have you taken upon yourself to
judge for me in such a matter, as though I were a child? Mother, you
must unsay what you have said." Lord Lufton, as he