e journey, and in commissioning Havill to take
advantage of their absence by emptying certain rooms of their furniture,
and repairing their dilapidations--a work which, with that in hand,
would complete the section for which he had been engaged. Mr. Wardlaw
had left the castle; so also had Charlotte, by her own wish, her
residence there having been found too oppressive to herself to be
continued for the present. Accompanied by Mrs. Goodman, Milly, and
Clementine, the elderly French maid, who still remained with them, Paula
drove into Markton in the twilight and took the train to Budmouth.

When they got there they found that an unpleasant breeze was blowing out
at sea, though inland it had been calm enough. Mrs. Goodman proposed to
stay at Budmouth till the next day, in hope that there might be smooth
water; but an English seaport inn being a thing that Paula disliked
more than a rough passage, she would not listen to this counsel. Other
impatient reasons, too, might have weighed with her. When night came
their looming miseries began. Paula found that in addition to her own
troubles she had those of three other people to support; but she did not
audibly complain.

'Paula, Paula,' said Mrs. Goodman from beneath her load of wretchedness,
'why did we think of undergoing this?'

A slight gleam of humour crossed Paula's not particularly blooming face,
as she answered, 'Ah, why indeed?'

'What is the real reason, my dear? For God's sake tell me!'

'It begins with S.'

'Well, I would do anything for that young man short of personal
martyrdom; but really when it comes to that--'

'Don't criticize me, auntie, and I won't criticize you.'

'Well, I am open to criticism just now, I am sure,' said her aunt, with
a green smile; and speech was again discontinued.

The morning was bright and beautiful, and it could again be seen in
Paula's looks that she was glad she had come, though, in taking
their rest at Cherbourg, fate consigned them to an hotel breathing an
atmosphere that seemed specially compounded for depressing the spirits
of a young woman; indeed nothing had particularly encouraged her thus
far in her somewhat peculiar scheme of searching out and expressing
sorrow to a gentleman for having believed those who traduced him; and
this coup d'audace to which she had committed herself began to look
somewhat formidable. When in England the plan of following him to
Normandy had suggested itself as the quickest, sweetest, a