ruise
herself at every turn, and to be alone in her despair. She was still
the woman whom he had loved; and, over and beyond that, was she not
the woman who had saved him from a terrible downfall by rushing
herself into utter ruin for his sake? He must take some steps in her
behalf--if he could only resolve what those steps should be. She was
moving to the door, but stopping her, he took her by the hand. "You
did it," he said, "and he, your husband, knew nothing of it?" The
fact itself was so wonderful, that he had hardly as yet made even
that all his own.

"I did it, and he knew nothing of it. I will go now, Sir Peregrine; I
am strong enough."

"But where will you go?"

"Ah me, where shall I go?" And she put the hand which was at liberty
up to her temple, brushing back her hair as though she might thus
collect her thoughts. "Where shall I go? But he does not know it yet.
I will go now to Orley Farm. When must he be told? Tell me that. When
must he know it?"

"No, Lady Mason; you cannot go there to-day. It's very hard to say
what you had better do."

"Very hard," she echoed, shaking her head.

"But you must remain here at present;--at The Cleeve I mean; at any
rate for to-day. I will think about it. I will endeavour to think
what may be the best."

"But--we cannot meet now. She and I;--Mrs. Orme?" And then again
he was silent; for in truth the difficulties were too many for him.
Might it not be best that she should counterfeit illness and be
confined to her own room? But then he was averse to recommend any
counterfeit; and if Mrs. Orme did not go to her in her assumed
illness, the counterfeit would utterly fail of effect in the
household. And then, should he tell Mrs. Orme? The weight of these
tidings would be too much for him, if he did not share them with some
one. So he made up his mind that he must tell them to her--though to
no other one.

"I must tell her," he said.

"Oh yes," she replied; and he felt her hand tremble in his, and
dropped it. He had forgotten that he thus held her as all these
thoughts pressed upon his brain.

"I will tell it to her, but to no one else. If I might advise you, I
would say that it will be well for you now to take some rest. You are
agitated, and--"

"Agitated! yes. But you are right, Sir Peregrine. I will go at once
to my room. And then--"

"Then, perhaps,--in the course of the morning, you will see me
again."

"Where?--will you come to me there?"

"I will see