ering his daughter's youth, required that
the marriage should be delayed at least two years, and, in his
theoretical way, he soon built up a scheme, which was not quite so
successful as he could have wished. Marlow's character was, in most
respects, one after his own heart; but as I have shown, he had thought
from the first, that there were weak points in it,--or rather points
rendered weak by faults of education and much mingling with the world.
He wanted, in short, some of that firmness--may I not say hardness of
the old Roman, which Sir Philip so peculiarly admired; and the scheme
now was, to re-educate Marlow, if I may use the term, during the next
two years, to mould him in short after Sir Philip's own idea of
perfection. How this succeeded, or failed, we shall have occasion
hereafter to show.

Tidings of Emily's engagement were communicated to Mrs. Hazleton, first
by rumor, and immediately after by more certain information in a letter
from Lady Hastings. I will not dwell upon the effect produced in her. I
will not lift up the curtain with which she covered her own breast, and
show all the dark and terrible war of passions within. For three days
Mrs. Hazleton was really ill, remained shut up in her room, had the
windows darkened, admitted no one but the maid and the physician; and
well for her was it, perhaps, that the bitter anguish she endured
overpowered her corporeal powers, and forced seclusion upon her. During
those three days she could not have concealed her feelings from all eyes
had she been forced to mingle with society; but in her sickness she had
time for thought--space to fight the battle in, and she came forth
triumphant.

When she at length appeared in her own drawing-room no one could have
imagined that the illness was of the heart. She was a little paler than
before, there was a soft and pleasing languor about her carriage, but
she was, to all appearance, as calm and cheerful as ever.

Nevertheless she thought it better to go to London for a short time. She
did not yet dare to meet Emily Hastings. She feared _herself_.

Yet the letter of Lady Hastings was a treasure to her, for it gave her
hopes of vengeance. In it the mother showed but too strongly her dislike
of her daughter's choice, and Mrs. Hazleton resolved to cultivate the
friendship of Lady Hastings, whom she had always despised, and to use
her weakness for her own purposes.

She was destined, moreover, to have other sources of consola