what nature was the
harm of which Mrs. Roden was speaking? Could it be that Marion had
made any sign of altered feelings; had declared in any way her liking
or disliking; had given outward testimony of thoughts which would
have been pleasant to him,--or perhaps unpleasant,--had he known
them?

"No harm, of course," said Mrs. Roden;--"only to a nature such as
hers all excitement is evil."

"I cannot believe that," he said, after a pause. "Now and then in the
lives of all of us there must come moments of excitement which cannot
be all evil. What would Marion say if I were to tell her that I loved
her?"

"I hope you will not do that, my lord."

"Why should you hope so? What right have you to hope so? If I do love
her, is it not proper that I should tell her?"

"But it would not be proper that you should love her."

"There, Mrs. Roden, I take the liberty of declaring that you
are altogether in the wrong, and that you speak without due
consideration."

"Do I, my lord?"

"I think so. Why am I not to be allowed the ordinary privilege of a
man,--that of declaring my passion to a woman when I meet one who
seems in all things to fulfil the image of perfection which I have
formed for myself,--when I see a girl that I fancy I can love?"

"Ah, there is the worst! It is only a fancy."

"I will not be accused in that way without defending myself. Let it
be fancy or what not, I love Marion Fay, and I have come here to tell
her so. If I can make any impression on her I shall come again and
tell her father so. I am here now because I think that you can help
me. If you will not, I shall go on without your help."

"What can I do?"

"Go to her with me now, at once. You say that excitement is bad for
her. The excitement will be less if you will come with me to her
house."

Then there was a long pause in the conversation, during which Mrs.
Roden was endeavouring to determine what might be her duty at this
moment. She certainly did not think that it would be well that Lord
Hampstead, the eldest son of the Marquis of Kingsbury, should marry
Marion Fay. She was quite sure that she had all the world with her
there. Were any one to know that she had assisted in arranging such
a marriage, that any one would certainly condemn her. That would
assuredly be the case, not only with the young lord's family, not
only with others of the young lord's order, but with all the educated
world of Great Britain. How could it be that such a one