of immense service to him, if at least he does not lie habitually. But
this is a description of treachery, you know."

"Oh!" cried Emilia, "what kind of treachery is that, if he only will
keep his heart open for me to give all mine to it!"

She stood clutching her hands in the half-sobbing ecstasy which
signalises a spiritual exaltation built on disquiet. She had shown small
emotion hitherto. The sight of it was like the sight of a mighty hostile
power to Lady Charlotte--a power that moved her--that challenged, and
irritated, and subdued her. For she saw there something that she had
not; and being of a nature leaning to great-mindedness, though not
of the first rank, she could not meanly mask her own deficiency by
despising it. To do this is the secret evil by which souls of men and
women stop their growth.

Lady Charlotte decided now to say good-bye. Her parting was
friendly--the form of it consisting of a nod, an extension of the hand,
and a kind word or two.

When alone, Emilia wondered why she kept taking long breaths, and tried
to correct herself: but the heart laboured. Yet she seemed to have no
thought in her mind; she had no active sensation of pity or startled
self-love. She went to smooth Mr. Pole's pillow, as to a place of
forgetfulness. The querulous tyrannies of the invalid relieved her; but
the heavy lifting of her chest returned the moment she was alone. She
mentioned it to the doctor, who prescribed for liver, informing her
that the said organ conducted one of the most important functions of her
bodily system.

Emilia listened to the lecturer, and promised to take his medicine,
trusting to be perfectly quieted by the nauseous draught; but when Mr.
Powys came, she rushed up to him, and fell with a cry upon his breast,
murmuring broken words that Georgiana might fairly interpret as her
suspicions directed. Nor had she ever seen Merthyr look as he did when
their eyes next met.

CHAPTER XXIX

The card of Mr. Powys found Arabella alone in the house. Mrs. Lupin
was among village school-children; Mrs. Chump had gone to London to see
whether anything was known of Mr. Pole at his office, where she fell
upon the youth Braintop, and made him her own for the day. Adela was
out in the woods, contemplating nature; and Cornelia was supposed to be
walking whither her stately fancy drew her.

"Will you take long solitary walks unprotected?" she was asked.

"I have a parasol," she replied; and could hea