ld she be alone, far out at sea, in some small skiff with that
low-born tailor, and then pull out the plug, and let him know what
he had done to her as they both went down together beneath the water,
that would be such a cure of the evil as would now best suit her
wishes. But there was no such sea, and no such boat. Death, however,
might still be within her grasp.

Then she laid her hand on the girl's shoulder, and Lady Anna awoke.
"Oh, mamma;--is that you?"

"It is I, my child."

"Mamma, mamma; is anything the matter? Oh, mamma, kiss me." Then
the Countess stooped down and kissed the girl passionately. "Dear
mamma,--dearest mamma!"

"Anna, will you do one thing for me? If I never speak to you of Lord
Lovel again, will you forget Daniel Thwaite?" She paused, but Lady
Anna had no answer ready. "Will you not say as much as that for me?
Say that you will forget him till I am gone."

"Gone, mamma? You are not going!"

"Till I am dead. I shall not live long, Anna. Say at least that you
will not see him or mention his name for twelve months. Surely, Anna,
you will do as much as that for a mother who has done so much for
you." But Lady Anna would make no promise. She turned her face to the
pillow and was dumb. "Answer me, my child. I may at least demand an
answer."

"I will answer you to-morrow, mamma." Then the Countess fell on her
knees at the bedside and uttered a long, incoherent prayer, addressed
partly to the God of heaven, and partly to the poor girl who was
lying there in bed, supplicating with mad, passionate eagerness that
this evil thing might be turned away from her. Then she seized the
girl in her embrace and nearly smothered her with kisses. "My own, my
darling, my beauty, my all; save your mother from worse than death,
if you can;--if you can!"

Had such tenderness come sooner it might have had deeper effect. As
it was, though the daughter was affected and harassed,--though she
was left panting with sobs and drowned in tears,--she could not but
remember the treatment she had suffered from her mother during the
last six months. Had the request for a year's delay come sooner,
it would have been granted; but now it was made after all measures
of cruelty had failed. Ten times during the night did she say that
she would yield,--and ten times again did she tell herself that
were she to yield now, she would be a slave all her life. She had
resolved,--whether right or wrong,--still, with a strong mind and a