not called on to give an opinion, for
you 'd shut up the best house in this quarter of Europe."

"And what security have you any moment that he won't make a clean sweep
of it, and turn you all into the streets?"

"Yes; that's on the cards any day."

"He must have got through almost everything he had; besides, I never
heard his property called six thousand a year, and I 'll swear twelve
wouldn't pay his way here."

"What does he care! His father and he agreed to cut off the entail; and
seeing the sort of marriage he made, he 'll not fret much at leaving the
boy a beggar."

"But he likes him; if there's anything in the world he cares for, it's
that boy!"

The other must have made some gesture of doubt or dissent, for the
doctor quickly added, "No, no, I 'm right about that. It was only
yesterday morning he said to me with a shake in the voice there's
no mistaking, 'If you can come and tell me, doctor, that he's out of
danger, I 'll give you a thousand pounds.'"

"Egad, I think I 'd have done it, even though I might have made a
blunder."

"Ye 're no a doctor, sir, that's plain;" and in the emotion of the
moment he spoke the words with a strong Scotch accent.

There was a silence of some minutes, and Hotham said, "That little
Frenchwoman and I have no love lost between us, but I 'm glad she cut up
so well."

"They 're strange natures, there 's no denying it They 'll do less from
duty and more from impulse than any people in the world, and they 're
never thoroughly proud of themselves except when they 're all wrong."

"That's a neat character for Frenchwomen," said Hotham, laughing.

"I think Norcott will be looking out for his whist by this time," said
the other; and they both arose, and passing noiselessly through the
room, moved away.

I had enough left me to think over, and I did think over it till I fell
asleep.

CHAPTER IX. MADAME CLEREMONT

From that day forth I received no tidings of my mother. Whether my own
letters reached her or not, I could not tell; and though I entreated
Madame Cleremont, who was now my confidante in everything, to aid me in
learning where my mother was, she declared that the task was beyond
her; and at last, as time went over, my anxieties became blunted and my
affections dulled. The life I was leading grew to have such a hold upon
me, and was so full of its own varied interests, that--with shame I say
it--I actually forgot the very existence of her to whom I owed any