e galloped on to hide her confusion. 'You were their great cause.
If you had not gone and frightened her, they might have philandered on
all this time, till the whole affair died of its own silliness.'

'Yes, no one was so much to blame as I. I will trust no living creature
again. My carelessness opened the way to temptation, and Heaven knows,
Lucilla, I have been infinitely more displeased with myself than with
them.'

'Well, so am I with myself, for putting her in his way. Don't let us
torment ourselves with playing the game backwards again--I hate it.
Let's see to the next.'

'That is what I came for. Now, Cilla, though I would gladly do what I
could for poor Owen, just think what work it will make with the girls at
Wrapworth, who are nonsensical enough already, to have this poor runaway
brought back to be buried as the wife of a fine young gentleman.'

'Poor Edna's history is no encouragement to look out for fine young
gentlemen.'

'They will know the fact, and sink the circumstances.'

'So you are so innocent as to think they don't know! Depend upon it,
every house in Wrapworth rings with it; and won't it be more improving to
have the poor thing's grave to point the moral?'

'Cilla, you are a little witch. You always have your way, but I don't
like it. It is not the right one.'

'Not right for Owen to make full compensation? Mind, it is not Edna
Murrell, the eloped schoolmistress, but Mrs. Sandbrook, whom her husband
wishes to bury among his family.'

'Poor lad, is he much cut up?'

'So much that I should hardly dare tell him if you had refused. He could
not bear another indignity heaped on her, and a wound from you would cut
deeper than from any one else. You should remember in judging him that
he had no parent to disobey, and there was generosity in taking on him
the risk rather than leave her to a broken heart and your tender mercy.'

'I fear his tender mercy has turned out worse than mine; but I am sorry
for all he has brought on himself, poor lad!'

'Shall I try whether he can see you?'

'No, no; I had rather not. You say young Fulmort attends to him, and I
could not speak to him with patience. Five o'clock, Saturday?'

'Yes; but that is not all. That poor child--Robert Fulmort, you, and I
must be sponsors.'

'Cilla, Cilla, how can I answer how it will be brought up?'

'Some one must. Its father talks of leaving England, and it will be my
charge. Will you not help me? you who