nd her natural reserve kept her from being fluent in communicating them
even to Miss Monro. But that lady would have been pleased to read aloud
these letters to the assembled dean and canons, and would not have been
surprised if they had invited her to the chapter-house for that purpose.
To her circle of untravelled ladies, ignorant of Murray, but laudably
desirous of information, all Ellinor's historical reminiscences and
rather formal details were really interesting. There was no railroad in
those days between Lyons and Marseilles, so their progress was slow, and
the passage of letters to and fro, when they had arrived in Rome, long
and uncertain. But all seemed going on well. Ellinor spoke of herself
as in better health; and Canon Livingstone (between whom and Miss Monro
great intimacy had sprung up since Ellinor had gone away, and Miss Monro
could ask him to tea) confirmed this report of Miss Wilkins's health from
a letter which he had received from Mrs. Forbes. Curiosity about that
letter was Miss Monro's torment. What could they have had to write to
each other about? It was a very odd proceeding; although the
Livingstones and Forbeses were distantly related, after the manner of
Scotland. Could it have been that he had offered to Euphemia, after all,
and that her mother had answered; or, possibly, there was a letter from
Effie herself, enclosed. It was a pity for Miss Monro's peace of mind
that she did not ask him straight away. She would then have learnt what
Canon Livingstone had no thought of concealing, that Mrs. Forbes had
written solely to give him some fuller directions about certain charities
than she had had time to think about in the hurry of starting. As it
was, and when, a little later on, she heard him speak of the possibility
of his going himself to Rome, as soon as his term of residence was over,
in time for the Carnival, she gave up her fond project in despair, and
felt very much like a child whose house of bricks had been knocked down
by the unlucky waft of some passing petticoat.

Meanwhile, the entire change of scene brought on the exquisite
refreshment of entire change of thought. Ellinor had not been able so
completely to forget her past life for many years; it was like a renewing
of her youth; cut so suddenly short by the shears of Fate. Ever since
that night, she had had to rouse herself on awakening in the morning into
a full comprehension of the great cause she had for much fear