ut follow him with her eyes.

All his doubts had returned, and, in the crisis of his fate, he stood
irresolute, daring neither to speak nor ask, lest feelings should be
betrayed which might poison her happiness.

'Is it you?' were her first words, as though slowly awakening.

'It is I, come to be whatever you will let me be,' he answered, as best
he could.

'Oh, Louis!' she said, 'this is too much!' And she hid her face in her
hands.

'Tell me--one word, Mary, and I shall know what to do, and will not
harass nor grieve you.'

'Grieve me! You!' exclaimed Mary, in an inexpressibly incredulous tone.

'Enough! It is as it was before!' and he drew her into his arms, as
unresistingly as five years ago, and his voice sank with intense
thankfulness, as he said, 'My Mary--my Mary! has He not brought it to
pass?'

The tears came dropping from her eyes, and then she could speak.

'Louis, my dear father withdrew his anger. He gave full consent and
blessing, if you still--'

'Then nothing is wanting--all is peace!' said Louis. 'You know how you
are longed for at home--'

'That you should have come--come all this way! That Lord Ormersfield
should have spared you!' exclaimed Mary, breaking out into happy little
sentences, as her tears relieved her. 'Oh, how far off all my distress
and perplexity seem now! How foolish to have been so unhappy when
there you were close by! But you must see Dona Rosita,' cried she,
recollecting herself, after an interval, 'I must tell her.'

Mary hurried into another room by a glass door, and Louis heard her
speaking Spanish, and a languid reply; then returning, she beckoned to
him to advance, whispering, 'Don't be surprised, these are the usual
habits. We can talk before her, she never follows English.'

He could at first see no one, but presently was aware of a grass
hammock swung from the richly-carved beams, and in it something white;
then of a large pair of black eyes gazing full at him with a liquid
soft stare. He made his bow, and summoned his best Spanish, and she
made an answer which he understood, by the help of Mary, to be a
welcome; then she smiled and signed with her head towards him and Mary,
and said what Mary only interpreted by colouring, as did Louis, for
such looks and smiles were of all languages. Then it was explained
that only as a relation did she admit his Excellency el Visconde,
before her evening toilette in her duelos was made--Mary would take
care o