r
behaved to you and to your mother with true friendship.
But that will not make him fit to be the husband of Anna
Lovel. You do not even say that you think that he would be
fit. I fancy I understand it all, and I love you better
for the pride with which you cling to so firm a friend.

But, dearest, it is different when we talk of marriage. I
imagine that you hardly dare now to think of becoming his
wife. I doubt whether you say even to yourself that you
love him with that kind of love. Do not suppose me vain
enough to believe that therefore you must love me. It is
not that. But if you would once tell yourself that he is
unfit to be your husband, then you might come to love me,
and would not be the less willing to do so, because all
your friends wish it. It must be something to you that you
should be able to put an end to all this trouble.

Yours, dearest Anna,
Most affectionately,

L.

I called in Bedford Square this morning, but you were not
at home!

"But I do dare," she said to herself, when she had read the letter.
"Why should I not dare? And I do say to myself that I love him.
Why should I not love him now, when I was not ashamed to love him
before?" She was being persecuted; and as the step of the wayfarer
brings out the sweet scent of the herb which he crushes with his
heel, so did persecution with her extract from her heart that
strength of character which had hitherto been latent. Had they left
her at Yoxham, and said never a word to her about the tailor; had the
rector and the two aunts showered soft courtesies on her head,--they
might have vanquished her. But now the spirit of opposition was
stronger within her than ever.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

LOVEL V. MURRAY AND ANOTHER.

Monday, the 9th of November, was the day set down for the trial of
the case which had assumed the name of "Lovel versus Murray and
Another." This denomination had been adopted many months ago, when it
had been held to be practicable by the Lovel party to prove that the
lady who was now always called the Countess, was not entitled to bear
the name of Lovel, but was simply Josephine Murray, and her daughter
simply Anna Murray. Had there been another wife alive when the
mother was married that name and that name only could have been hers,
whether she had been the victim of the old Earl's fraud,--or had
herself been a party to it. The reader will have understood th