his beginning the reading without farther
delay. It was not a success. There was a stoppage somewhere in the
current of his mellifluous eloquence; and the exposition was concluded
so soon, and indeed abruptly, that Mrs. Danvers retired to rest with a
feeling of disappointment and inanition, such as one may have
experienced when, expecting a "sit-down" supper, we are obliged to
content ourselves with a meagrely-furnished _buffet_. For some minutes
after Mr. Fullarton had departed Miss Tresilyan sat silent, leaning her
head upon her hand. At last she said, "Bessie, dear, you know I would
not interfere with your comforts or your arrangements for the world;
but, the next time you wish to have a repetition of this, would you be
so very good as to tell me beforehand? I think I shall spend that
evening with Fanny Molyneux. I do not quite like it, and I am sure it
does me no real good."

She spoke so gently that Mrs. Danvers was going to attempt one of her
querulous remonstrances, but she happened to look at the face of her
patroness. It wore an expression not often seen there; but she was wise
enough to interpret it aright, and to guess that she had gone far
enough. It was ever a dangerous experiment to trifle with the Tresilyans
when their brows were bent. So she launched into some of her
affectionate platitudes and profuse excuses, and under cover of these
retreated to her rest. It is a comfort to reflect that she slept very
soundly, though she monopolized all the slumber that night that ought to
have fallen to Cecil's share.

What did Royston Keene think of the events of the evening? As he went
down the stairs I am afraid he cursed the chaplain once heartily, but on
the whole he was not dissatisfied. At all events, the short walk down to
the club completely restored his _sang-froid_, and the last trace of
vexation vanished as he entered the card-room and saw the "light of
battle" gleam on the haggard face of Armand de Chateaumesnil.

CHAPTER XI.

There was in Dorade a stout and meritorious elderly widow, who formed a
sort of connecting link between the natives and the settlers. English by
birth, she had married a Frenchman of fair family and fortune, so that
her habits and sympathies attached themselves about equally to the two
countries. You do not often find so good a specimen of the hybrid. She
gave frequent little _soirees_, which were as pleasant and exciting as
such assemblages of heterogeneous elements u