nous met en repos.

_Malherbe_.

Richard had obtained for me (with difficulty), from the lawyer of the
new uncle who had arisen, the privilege of remaining in the house for
another month, undisturbed in any way. At the end of those four weeks I
was to be married to him, one day, quietly in church, and to go away. It
was very hard to have to see Sophie, and be treated with ignominy, for
doing what I did not want to do; it was very hard to make preparations
to leave the only place I wanted to stay in now; it was very hard to be
tranquil and even, while my heart was like lead. But I had begun to
discover that that was the general order of things here below, and it
did not amaze me as it had done at first. I was doing my duty, to the
best of my discernment, and was not to be deterred by all the lead in
the world.

It was very well for Richard to say, he did it for sacrifice and for
duty. I have no doubt at first he did it greatly for those two things:
but he grew happier every day, I could see. He was very considerate of
my sadness, and always acted on the basis on which our engagement was
begun, never keeping my hand in his, or kissing me, or asking any of the
trifling favors of a lover.

He was grave and silent: but I could see the change in his face; I could
see that he was more exacting of every moment that I spent away from
him; he kept near me, and followed me with his eyes, and seemed never to
be satisfied with his possession of me.

He bought me the most beautiful jewels, (he had made great strides
toward fortune in the last six months, and was a rich man now in
earnest,) and though he never clasped them on my throat or wrist, nor
even fitted a ring on my finger, I could feel his eyes upon me,
hungering for a smile, a word of gratitude.

And who would not have been grateful? But it was "too soon, a great deal
too soon," as he had said himself. I was very grateful, but I would
have been glad to die.

I have wondered whether he saw it or not, I rather think not. I was very
submissive and gentle, and tried to be bright, and I think he was so
absorbed in the satisfaction of my promise, so intent upon his plans for
making me happy, and for making me love him, that he made himself
believe there was no heart of lead below the tranquillity he saw.

It was the third week since my uncle's death. The next week was to come
the marriage, on Wednesday, the 19th of May.

"Marriages in May are not happy," said Ann