ne so, she would not on that
account have been unhappy. What a blessed woman would Lady Staveley
have been had she known what was being done in Harley Street at this
moment!

In some short rhapsody of love it may be presumed that Lucius
indulged himself when he found that the affair which he had in hand
had so far satisfactorily arranged itself. But he was in truth
too wretched at heart for any true enjoyment of the delights of
a favoured suitor. They were soon engaged again on that terrible
subject, seated side by side indeed and somewhat close, but the tone
of their voices and their very words were hardly different from what
they might have been had no troth been plighted between them. His
present plan was that Sophia should visit Orley Farm for a time, and
take that place of dear and bosom friend which a woman circumstanced
as was his mother must so urgently need. We, my readers, know well
who was now that loving friend, and we know also which was best
fitted for such a task, Sophia Furnival or Mrs. Orme. But we have
had, I trust, better means of reading the characters of those ladies
than had fallen to the lot of Lucius Mason, and should not be angry
with him because his eyes were dark.

Sophia hesitated a moment before she answered this proposition,--not
as though she were slack in her love, or begrudged her services to
his mother; but it behoved her to look carefully at the circumstances
before she would pledge herself to such an arrangement as that. If
she went to Orley Farm on such a mission would it not be necessary
to tell her father and mother,--nay, to tell all the world that she
was engaged to Lucius Mason; and would it be wise to make such a
communication at the present moment? Lucius said a word to her of
going into court with his mother, and sitting with her, hand in hand,
while that ordeal was passing by. In the publicity of such sympathy
there was something that suited the bearings of Miss Furnival's mind,
The idea that Lady Mason was guilty had never entered her head, and
therefore, on this she thought there could be no disgrace in such a
proceeding. But nevertheless--might it not be prudent to wait till
that trial were over?

"If you are my wife you must be her daughter; and how can you better
take a daughter's part?" pleaded Lucius.

"No, no; and I would do it with my whole heart. But, Lucius, does she
know me well enough? It is of her that we must think. After all that
you have told me, can w