clusion, it is probable that his presence would never have
been discovered; or, if detected, would not have been noticed. Once
more united with his wife, her personal influence at the court of St.
James', and her powerful connections, might secure him from annoyance;
and Venetia had even indulged in a vague hope of returning to England.
But Herbert could only have found himself again in his native country
as a prisoner on parole. It would have been quite impossible for him
to mix in the civil business of his native land, or enjoy any of the
rights of citizenship. If a mild sovereign in his mercy had indeed
accorded him a pardon, it must have been accompanied with rigorous and
mortifying conditions; and his presence, in all probability, would
have been confined to his country residence and its immediate
neighbourhood. The pride of Lady Annabel herself recoiled from this
sufferance; and although Herbert, keenly conscious of the sacrifice
which a permanent estrangement from England entailed upon his wife and
child, would have submitted to any restrictions, however humiliating,
provided they were not inconsistent with his honour, it must be
confessed that, when he spoke of this painful subject to his wife,
it was with no slight self-congratulation that he had found her
resolution to remain abroad under any circumstances was fixed with her
habitual decision. She communicated both to the Bishop of ---- and to
her brother the unexpected change that had occurred in her condition,
and she had reason to believe that a representation of what had
happened would be made to the Royal family. Perhaps both the head of
her house and her reverend friend anticipated that time might remove
the barrier that presented itself to Herbert's immediate return to
England: they confined their answers, however, to congratulations on
the reconciliation, to their confidence in the satisfaction it would
occasion her, and to the expression of their faithful friendship; and
neither alluded to a result which both, if only for her sake, desired.

The Herberts had quitted Venice a very few days after the meeting on
the island of St. Lazaro; had travelled by slow journeys, crossing the
Apennines, to Genoa; and only remained in that city until they engaged
their present residence. It combined all the advantages which they
desired: seclusion, beauty, comfort, and the mild atmosphere that
Venetia had seemed to require. It was not, however, the genial air
that h