o; how can it be? That was folly. Lady Lanswell says you have
forgotten it. Shall a mere folly be a barrier between us? No; love
levels all barriers, you know."

He kissed her hands, saying to himself that he was the greatest coward
and the greatest villain that ever stood on earth. Words he had none.
Then they heard Lady Cambrey calling for her niece.

"Let me tell her," whispered the beautiful girl; "she will be so
pleased, she likes you so much." Then, as they passed out of the court,
she looked at the grand old walls. "I shall always love this place," she
said, "because it is here that you have first said that you loved me."

And the pity is that every girl and every woman disposed to give her
whole chance of happiness in a man's hand was not there to see how women
believe men, and how men keep the promises they make.

He told his mother that same night.

"I have done it," he said; "circumstances have forced me into it, but I
have forsworn myself. I have lost my self-respect, and I shall never be
happy again while I live."

But she embraced him with eager delight.

"You have done well," she said; "you have risen above the shackles of a
miserable promise, and have proved yourself a noble man by daring to
undo the mad act of folly which might have blighted your life. I approve
of what you have done, and so will any other sensible person."

And that was his consolation, his reward for the greatest act of perfidy
that man ever committed, or a woman sanctioned.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

"I HAVE PERJURED MYSELF."

Lady Lanswell was triumphant; she lost no time; before noon of the day
following she had sent to the Duke of Lester saying that they were
staying at Granada, and that important family business awaited him
there. She knew that he would lose no time in going there. In the days
that intervened she managed her son most cleverly; she said little or
nothing to him of Lady Marion. If he broached the subject, she changed
it at once, saying: "Let the matter rest for awhile;" she was so sorely
afraid he would draw back. She was kind to him in her way; if she saw
his handsome face looking distressed, pained, or anxious, she would
cheer him up with bright words, with laughter, or anything that would
take the weight of thought or care from him.

The Duke of Lester was soon there. Anything in which his niece was
interested was of vital consequence to him; he had no particular liking
for Lady Cambrey, and always