y rate make an effort.

Then there came upon her a mad idea,--an idea which was itself
evidence of insanity,--of the glory which would be hers if by any
means she could prevent the marriage. There would be a halo round her
name were she to perish in such a cause, let the destruction come
upon her in what form it might. She sat for hours meditating,--and at
every pause in her thoughts she assured herself that she could still
make an effort.

She received Sir William's letter late on the Tuesday,--and during
that night she did not lie down or once fall asleep. The man, as she
knew, had been told to come at one on that day, and she had been
prepared; but he did not come, and she then thought that the letter,
which had been addressed to his late residence, had failed to reach
him. During the night she wrote a very long answer to Sir William
pleading her own cause, expatiating on her own feelings, and
palliating any desperate deed which she might be tempted to perform.
But, when the letter had been copied and folded, and duly sealed with
the Lovel arms, she locked it in her desk, and did not send it on its
way even on the following morning. When the morning came, shortly
after eight o'clock, Mrs. Richards brought up the message which
Daniel had left at the door. "Be we to let him in, my lady?" said
Mrs. Richards with supplicating hands upraised. Her sympathies were
all with Lady Anna, but she feared the Countess, and did not dare
in such a matter to act without the mother's sanction. The Countess
begged the woman to come to her in an hour for further instructions,
and at the time named Mrs. Richards, full of the importance of her
work, divided between terror and pleasurable excitement, again
toddled up-stairs. "Be we to let him in, my lady? God, he knows it's
hard upon the likes of me, who for the last three months doesn't know
whether I'm on my head or heels." The Countess very quietly requested
that when Mr. Thwaite should call he might be shown into the parlour.

"I will see Mr. Thwaite myself, Mrs. Richards; but it will be better
that my daughter should not be disturbed by any intimation of his
coming."

Then there was a consultation below stairs as to what should be done.
There had been many such consultations, but they had all ended in
favour of the Countess. Mrs. Richards from fear, and the lady's-maid
from favour, were disposed to assist the elder lady. Poor Lady Anna
throughout had been forced to fight her batt