ed upstairs, and told that they dined at
eight,--but nothing had been arranged. Nobody had as yet mentioned
her name to him. Surely it could not be that she had gone away when
she heard that he was coming, and that she was really determined to
make the quarrel perpetual? He had three quarters of an hour in which
to get ready for dinner, and he felt himself to be uncomfortable and
out of his element. He had been sent to his chamber prematurely,
because nobody had known what to do with him; and he wished
himself back in London. The Duchess, no doubt, had intended to be
good-natured, but she had made a mistake. So he sat by his open
window, and looked out on the ruins of the old Priory, which were
close to the house, and wondered why he mightn't have been allowed to
wander about the garden instead of being shut up there in a bedroom.
But he felt that it would be unwise to attempt any escape now. He
would meet the Duke or the Duchess, or perhaps Adelaide herself, in
some of the passages,--and there would be an embarrassment. So he
dawdled away the time, looking out of the window as he dressed, and
descended to the drawing room at eight o'clock. He shook hands with
the Duke, and was welcomed by the Duchess, and then glanced round the
room. There she was, seated on a sofa between two other ladies,--of
whom one was his friend, Madame Goesler. It was essentially necessary
that he should notice her in some way, and he walked up to her, and
offered her his hand. It was impossible that he should allude to what
was past, and he merely muttered something as he stood over her. She
had blushed up to her eyes, and was absolutely dumb. "Mr. Maule,
perhaps you'll take our cousin Adelaide out to dinner," said the
Duchess, a moment afterwards, whispering in his ear.

"Have you forgiven me?" he said to her, as they passed from one room
to the other.

"I will,--if you care to be forgiven." The Duchess had been quite
right, and the quarrel was all over without any arrangement.

On the following morning he was allowed to walk about the grounds
without any impediment, and to visit the ruins which had looked so
charming to him from the window. Nor was he alone. Miss Palliser was
now by no means anxious as she had been yesterday to keep out of the
way, and was willingly persuaded to show him all the beauties of the
place.

"I shouldn't have said what I did, I know," pleaded Maule.

"Never mind it now, Gerard."

"I mean about going to Boul