st moment
with much earnestness at her old friend, and when she spoke to him it
was with the unmistakable accent of emotion. Mallard was gentle,
reverent; he held her hand a little longer than was necessary, but his
eyes quickly fell from her countenance.

"Your husband is well?" he asked in a full, steady voice.

They seated themselves, and Miriam again turned to the window. Cecily's
voice made a jarring upon her ear; it was so much sweeter and more
youthful, so much more like the voice of Cecily Doran, than when it
addressed other people. Mallard, too, continued in a soft, pleasant
tone, quite different from his usual speech; Miriam thrilled with
irritation as she heard him.

"They have told me of the picture you painted at Paestum. When may Mrs.
Lessingham and I come and see it?"

"I haven't a place in which I could receive you. I'll bring the thing
here, whenever you like."

Miriam moved. She wished to leave the room, but could not decide
herself to do so. In the same moment Mallard glanced round at her. She
interpreted his look as one of impatience, and at once said to Cecily:

"I think I'll change my mind, and write some letters this morning.
Perhaps you could persuade Mr. Mallard to take my place for the drive."

"Oh!" exclaimed Cecily, with a laugh, "I'm quite sure Mr. Mallard has
no desire to go to the English cemetery." She added in explanation, to
Mallard himself, "My aunt has promised to visit a certain grave, and
copy the inscription for a friend at Florence."

Whilst she was speaking, Mrs. Lessingham and Eleanor returned. Mallard,
rising, looked at Miriam with a singular smile; then talked a little
longer, and, with a promise to come again, soon took his leave.

"Don't disappoint us," said Cecily to Miriam, in the most natural tone.

"It was only that I felt we were making Mr. Mallard's visit very
short," answered Miriam, constrained by shame.

"He detests ceremony. You couldn't please him better than by saying,
'Please don't hinder me now, but come when I'm at leisure.'"

It was peculiarly distasteful to Miriam to have information concerning
the artist's character offered her by Cecily, in spite of the playful
tone. During the drive, she persuaded herself that Cecily's improved
spirits were entirely due to the conversation with Mallard, and this
stirred fresh resentment in her. She had foreseen the effect upon her
own feelings of the meeting which had just come about; it was extreme
folly, b