had better speak openly to each other about this;--had we
not?"

"Oh, yes," she said. And then there was a struggle within her not to
tremble--a struggle that was only too evident. She was aware of this,
and took her hand off the table.

"I vexed you because I did not see you at The Cleeve the other day."

"Because I thought that you were angry with me."

"And I was so."

"Oh, Mr. Furnival!"

"Wait a moment, Lady Mason. I was angry;--or rather sorry and
vexed to hear of that which I did not approve. But your letter has
removed that feeling. I can now understand the manner in which
this engagement was forced upon you; and I understand also--do I
not?--that the engagement will not be carried out?"

She did not answer him immediately, and he began to fear that
she repented of her purpose. "Because," said he, "under no other
circumstances could I--"

"Stop, Mr. Furnival. Pray do not be severe with me." And she looked
at him with eyes which would almost have melted his wife,--and which
he was quite unable to withstand. Had it been her wish, she might
have made him promise to stand by her, even though she had persisted
in her engagement.

"No, no; I will not be severe."

"I do not wish to marry him," she went on to say. "I have resolved to
tell him so. That was what I said in my letter."

"Yes, yes."

"I do not wish to marry him. I would not bring his gray hairs with
sorrow to the grave--no, not to save myself from--" And then, as she
thought of that from which she desired to save herself, she trembled
again, and was silent.

"It would create in men's minds such a strong impression against you,
were you to marry him at this moment!"

"It is of him I am thinking;--of him and Lucius. Mr. Furnival, they
might do their worst with me, if it were not for that thought. My
boy!" And then she rose from her chair, and stood upright before him,
as though she were going to do or say some terrible thing. He still
kept his chair, for he was startled, and hardly knew what he would be
about. That last exclamation had come from her almost with a shriek,
and now her bosom was heaving as though her heart would burst with
the violence of her sobbing. "I will go," she said. "I had better
go." And she hurried away towards the door.

"No, no; do not go yet." And he rose to stop her, but she was quite
passive. "I do not know why you should be so much moved now." But
he did know. He did understand the very essence and core of he