or I am sure that she will die of grief and ennui when
she sees the place we have brought her to. She thought it dreadful at
Chetwynde that there were so few to see and to appreciate the results
of her skill, yet even there a few could occasionally be found to
dress me for. But when she finds that I utterly repudiate French
toilettes for sitting upon the rocks, and that the neighboring
fishermen are not as a rule judges of the latest coiffure, I am
afraid to think of the consequences. Will it be any thing less than a
suicide, do you think, Hilda?"

"Well, Zillah," said Hilda, "I advised you not to bring her. A secret
intrusted to many ceases to be a secret. It would have been better to
leave behind you all who had been connected with Chetwynde, but
especially Mathilde, who is both silly and talkative."

"I know that her coming is sorely against your judgment, Hilda; but I
do not think that I run any risk. I know you despise me for my
weakness, but I really like Mathilde, and could not give her up and
take a new maid, unless I had to. She is very fond of me, and would
rather be with me, even in this outlandish place, than in London,
even, with any one else. You know I am the only person she has lived
with in England. She has no friends in the country, so her being
French is in her favor. She has not the least idea in what county 'ce
cher mais triste Shateveen' is situated; so she could not do much
harm even if she would, especially as her pronunciation of the name
is more likely to bewilder than to instruct her hearers."

By this time they had entered the house, and Zillah, putting her arm
in Hilda's, proceeded to inspect the mansion. It was a very tiny one;
the whole house could conveniently have stood in the Chetwynde
drawing-room; but Zillah declared that she delighted in its snugness.
Every thing was exquisitely neat, both within and without. The place
had been obtained by Hilda's diligent search. It had belonged to a
coast-guard officer who had recently died, and Hilda, by means of
Gualtier, obtained possession of the whole place, furniture and all,
by paying a high rent to the widow. A housekeeper and servants were
included in the arrangements. Zillah was in ecstasies with her
drawing-room, which extended he whole length of the house, having at
the front an alcove window looking upon the balcony and thence upon
the sea, and commanding at the back a beautiful view of the mountains
beyond. The views from all the w